


An Officer But Not A Gentleman

by Pixelatrix



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 12:07:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 29,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22717282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixelatrix/pseuds/Pixelatrix
Summary: Post Reaper War -- Shepard is recovering...and trying not to fall in love.
Relationships: Coats/Female Shepard (Mass Effect)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I originally had posted on FFnet. It's old. I think I wrote it in 2013-ish. I'm trying to get around to uploading all my FFnet stories over here. I'm not going through to edit...so apologies. I'll probably upload a few chapters at a time for this then move on to the next one.
> 
> This is AU. Just saying.   
Major Coats/Fem Shep pairing.  
Coats doesn’t have a first name that I could see referenced anywhere in the game. So I’m calling him, Liam.  
This set after ME3, reapers were destroyed.   
Shepard is: Earthborn, War Hero and Paragade.  
Unrelated to any of my other stories.  
Rated M for language...and…hot stuff lol.  
Beta: CelticGrace   
Bioware owns all. Sadly.  
Read. Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow Seriously, I’ll love you forever and ever.

“You’ve already finished your reps for the day, Commander.” The young rehab therapists tried to pull her away from the weight bench.

“Fuck off.” Shepard muttered. She did another thirty reps just to aggravate him.

“Commander.”

“Go away.” She was being difficult, mostly because she couldn’t remember his fucking name.

She’d gone through three physical therapists in the last two months. The reaper war had ended three months prior, and left her with two broken arms, four broken ribs, multiple fractures to her left leg and a severe concussion. She’d woken up in a hospital a couple weeks after the crucible had fired with no recollection of how the hell she’d gotten there. They moved her to the rehab facility just three weeks ago.

“Commander?” The annoying man with no name was back.

“I am not finished.” She started to lift the weight again but her arm finally gave out.

“It would seem that you are _finished.”_ A familiar voice remarked. Major Liam Coats stepped into view as he lifted the weight from her to set it safely back on the stand. “Are you harassing Jeff?”

“Are you finished _harassing_ the nurses?” Shepard wiped the sweat from her brow to get a better look at the handsome Major. “Brunette or Blonde this time?”

“Redhead,” he grinned at her.

“Wait, who the hell is Jeff?” She rolled her eyes at him.

“He’s your physical therapist, Shepard.” Liam shook his head and laughed. “Poor man.”

“Oh good, now I have a name for my pain.” Shepard glared at the physical therapist who threw his hands up in the air and stormed away. “Do you think he’s coming back?”

“Not today.” Coats’ smile widened. _Cocky bastard._

“Stop smiling like that, the cute nurses aren’t here to appreciate it.” She didn’t bother to hide her amusement.

“C’mon, love, I’ll help you back to your room.” Liam held his hand out to help her up.

She ignored the hand and struggled to her feet on her own. She would not allow her injuries to make her feel fucking helpless. He sighed loudly but didn’t saying anything while the Commander slowly made her way through the facility to her room. And naturally, he followed her inside like he owned the damn place.

“I am going to shower.” She couldn’t deal with him drenched completely in sweat and feeling…gross.

“Need help?”

“You are nothing but a fucking flirt.” She headed into the bathroom and slammed the door in his face.

Liam took a seat in one of the chairs in the room to wait for her to finish showering. He still remembered finding the Commander in the rubble after the reapers were destroyed. He thought that he’d just found her body, but she had one last breath in her. He applied medi-gel and performed CPR on her, then carried her all the way to one of the makeshift tent hospitals nearby. He didn’t think she remembered any of it.

Admiral Hackett had asked him to keep a close eye on the Commander while she recovered. The Admiralty was concerned that too much attention would be given while she needed peace and quiet. Shepard didn’t know that either. It wasn’t often that he received an assignment to watch out for a legend, and a beautiful one at that.

“Major? Are you still out there?” Shepard’s voice filtered through the bathroom door.

“No.”

“Good, well can the person that sounds just like Major Asshat come give me a hand.” Shepard’s voice sounded oddly muffled.

“Ask nicely.” He stood and started towards the door.

“How about this? I won’t spread a rumor to the nurses that you have warts where warts shouldn’t be,” Shepard retorted.

“Now that’s just cruel.” He opened the door and practically bit through his lip to keep from laughing.

“A little help?” Her voice lost the snarky edge and sounded…exhausted.

“And I didn’t even have to ask you out to dinner.” He didn’t want to know how she’d gotten into her current predicament. 

She stood with one leg in the shower and one leg out. She’d obviously been trying to pull a shirt on because her arms were stuck inside the shirt and that was the only article of clothing on her body at the moment. _Beautiful._ He told himself to focus.

“How the hell…”

“I’m glaring at you, I know you can’t see it, but I am.” She grumbled at him.

Liam reached up and carefully eased the t-shirt down where it was supposed to be. She let him help her get the rest of the way out of the stall. He turned his back while she pulled a pair of clean pants on, and then offered his arm which this time she accepted. He lifted her up on the bed in the center of the room.

“There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, love.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “Do you want to walk in the gardens?”

“Don’t you have a nurse to molest?” Shepard never liked sympathy. 

It made her prickly. She didn’t ask for help ever, it was one of the things that he admired about her. Today had been a rare exception. 

“She was…exceptional.” He stuck with light-hearted; it would help her more than pushing her on other subjects.

“They’re always _exceptional._” She closed her eyes and tried to fight a yawn unsuccessfully. “Go bother the redhead, I need a nap.”

He started to respond but she was already snoring quietly. He grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it over her.

“You are _exceptional._” He muttered to the sleeping Commander before heading for the door. He did have a date in a few hours with the hot nurse.


	2. Chapter 2

“Where’s the Commander?” Liam stepped into the gym expecting to find Shepard aggravating the physical therapist again.

“The garden.” Jeff gave him a long-suffering sigh before turning his attention back to the patient in front of him.

Shepard sat on one of the benches in the garden watching a nearby fountain. Even from behind her, he could see the deflation. Her shoulders were slumped when she normally sat ram-rod straight. Even when she’d been in the early stages of recovery, she sat like a _good marine_.

“Jeff seems distraught,” he remarked casually.

She glanced up at him. “He’s annoying.”

“The feeling is probably mutual.” He sat down beside her.

“How was the date?” Shepard’s voice held no real curiosity.

“I had her screaming my name within minutes.” He smirked at her.

“Why? Did she stub her toe?” Shepard smirked right back at him.

“No worries, love, I massaged it all better.” He waved his fingers at her.

“The _Normandy_ is docked in London,” Shepard observed after a moment. “Been here for two days, no one told me. No one came to see me. I stole Jeff’s omni-tool; Hackett took command of _my_ ship. Bastard. He could have told me.”

“You stole an omni-tool?”

“Way to focus on the important shit, Major.” She glared at him. “I gave it back to him.”

“I’m sure your squad will visit.” He had already told the Admiral that a visit would be good for her. Hackett hadn’t listened. “Why would you steal an omni-tool?”

“Because mine got fried on the Citadel while I was busy trying to save the goddamn world.” Shepard stood slowly and stared back towards the building. “Leave me alone, Major, I’m too tired to be amused by you today.”

Shepard went through the motions of her therapy and managed not to yell at Jeff or anyone else for that matter. She just couldn’t be bothered. It wasn’t that Hackett had command of the _Normandy_ of anyone in the fleet, she trusted the Admiral the most. But still...it was her damn ship. With her workout done for the day, she limped back to her room to shower. She passed by the Major who was flirting with the sexy blonde at the receptionist desk.

_Cocky motherfucker. _

He grinned up at her but she just kept on going to her room. She showered as quickly as she could. She stepped out of the bathroom an hour later dressed in a tank top and cargo pants. The doctors had told her that walking and moving as much as possible would help her recovery. So instead of taking dinner in her room, she walked through the facility to the canteen. She grabbed a sandwich and sat in one of the tables that looked out across the gardens.

She hadn’t been there long when someone sat across from her. “Go away.”

“I’m hurt, Lola, truly.”

Shepard’s head shot up to find Vega and Cortez sitting across from her. “Vega? Cortez? I never thought I’d be so fucking glad to see you two…well, Steve maybe.”

“It’s good to see you, Shepard. We’ve been worried.” Cortez reached out to shake her hand.

“The Admiral’s been keeping us busy, on purpose, I think.” Vega grinned at her.

“It’s never good when you think too much, James.” Shepard felt a hundred times better. “How’s the crew? How’s my ship?”

“Ship is good, back to fighting shape. The non-Alliance crew is pretty much all gone. But Joker, EDI, Traynor and everyone else is still there. Hackett thought if we all visited it might be overwhelming for you.” Cortez slid a datapad across the table. “They sent messages for you though.”

“The Admiral isn’t usual wrong, but he was this time. I’ve missed you guys.” Shepard pushed the tray of food away and grabbed the datapad. “How long are you in London?”

“We leave tomorrow,” Vega answered.

“That soon?”

“Yea, we’re apparently heading to Vancouver. But I think we’ll be back at some point.” Cortez glanced down at his omni-tool. “We’ve got to head back to the ship. Tell Major Coats thanks for us, please?”

“Coats? Why?” Shepard looked at him in surprise.

“He sent me a message, saying that he thought maybe the Admiral had it wrong. He helped us sneak in, Lola.” Vega seemed surprised. “The Major is good people. You know, he’s the one that found you, right?”

“What?”

“He found you in the rubble, patched you up, and carried you to the medics.” Cortez glanced over at Vega. “We should head back to the ship before we’re missed.”

“Don’t be strangers, boys.” Shepard stood to give them both a hug. 

She ate her meal in silence once they’d left while reading through the messages on the datapad. She’d give anything for a fucking omni-tool so she could respond to her friends. There was a box sitting on the center of her bed when she got back to her room. She found an omni-tool inside. She pulled up her messages.

_From: Major Asshat_

_To: Commander Omni-Tool Thief_

_Subj: Thanks…_

_…for saving the world._

_Liam_

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_22:03 S: Busy?_

_22:08 C: You mean, alone? Right?_

_22:09 S: Same difference with you._

_22:11 C: Did you just message me to ask about the current state of my bed? Or did you want to discuss…other intimate matters?_

_22:12 S: I’m going to make you intimately familiar with my foot up your ass._

_22:13 C: That is not nice._

_22:14 S: I just wanted to say thanks. For…the omni-tool, and for Vega and Cortez. _

_22:15 C: Anytime, love. You sure about the sex chat?_

_22:19 S: Good night, Liam._

_22:20 User has disconnected. _

It took Shepard about three hours to get through all the messages that she’d received in the last three months and respond to…some of them. She was pleased to hear that Tali and Garrus were still together. She caught up on the progress that had been made in rebuilding everything. She was setting the omni-tool aside when she hesitated.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_24:54 S: Are you still awake?_

_01:01 C: Change your mind about the sex chat?_

_01:03 S: No. Can I ask you a question?_

_01:04 C: Yes, it really is that big._

_01:06 S: I am not talking about your fucking ego. _

_01:08 C: So what’s the question?_

_01:09 S: Why’d you do this for me?_

_01:12 C: It’s about damn time someone did something for you, love. _

_01:13 S: Thanks, Liam. _

_01:15 C: You already said that, Shepard._

_01:16 S: I know, but…why didn’t you tell me that you were the one that found me?_

_01:17 C: I couldn’t leave the debris field without finding you._

_01:18 C: Get some sleep, Commander. Good night._

_01:18 User has disconnected. _


	3. Chapter 3

“Commander? You need to start testing your biotics.” Jeff was getting whinier by the minute.

He’d been bugging her throughout the work-out. He wanted her to start ‘_exercising’_ her biotics. She wanted him to start exercising his ability to close his damn mouth. She stumbled off of the exercise bike and leaned against it trying to catch her breath.

“Commander? Please cooperate with me? It’s part of the recommended….”

Shepard spun around and froze him mid-sentence in stasis. “Consider my biotics tested.”

“Having a bad day, love?”

“Not as bad as Jeff.” Shepard glanced over her shoulder to find Major Coats leaning against the door to the exercise room with an amused grin on his face. She turned back to the poor therapist and released him from stasis. “I’ll go outside to _test_ my biotics. You should really stay here.”

“Commander Shepard…”

“I’ll make sure the Commander doesn’t injure herself.” Liam cut Jeff off and followed Shepard out of the room. 

“How very reassuring.” She glared at him while she made her way out of the rehab center towards the gardens. 

They’d set up a few practice dummies that were supposed to be strong enough to withstand biotic throws. Shepard broke both of them without minutes. She sank down on a nearby bench with her body still shimmering with blue.

“What’s got you in such a rage, Shepard?” Liam sat beside her.

“White.”

“Pardon?”

“I hate hospitals. Everything is fucking white. It’s so…clinical. It’s so boring and sterile and any other descriptive word that fits.” She threw a half-hearted warp at one of the fallen dummies. It bounced down the path.

“You want to go home?” Liam asked.

“Home? I don’t have one of those. Hackett’s got my ship.” Shepard shrugged indifferently. She stood back up and began tossing shockwaves at the dummy that was closest. “I just wish everything wasn’t so fucking white. I miss the stars over my head. Even fucking grey would be better than white. It makes me want to graffiti the damn walls.”

“Maybe you’ve tested enough for one day, love.” Liam stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned around slowly and placed a hand on his chest. She remembered something Liara had done at that party they’d had at Anderson’s apartment on the Citadel. The Major frowned at her suspiciously when she grinned at him and stepped closer. Before he could move, she used her biotics to lift him up off the ground.

“You should really quit _hanging around_, Major.” She smirked.

“Can you do this during sex? Because…that would be intriguing,” the cocky bastard just smirked right back at her like he wasn’t floating above the ground.

She slowly lowered him back to his feet. “You’ll never know. Maybe you can find a nurse who’s a biotic to _indulge_ your fantasies.”

“Is the Commander ready for an excursion outside the facility?” Admiral Hackett asked.

“No.” Doctor Gates immediately responded while Jeff emphatically concurred.

“With all due respect to the docs here, you cannot keep the Commander locked up in a hospital for months on end. It’s just for the day; I’ll keep a close eye on her.” Major Coats gave the doctors an annoyed look before turning his attention to the Admiral on the Vid-comm. “You asked me to keep an eye on Shepard. She needs…a break.”

“Like she needed to see Vega and Cortez?” Hackett never missed a beat.

“Yes, sir.” Liam had no intention of apologizing. He liked Shepard, she deserved better than to be coddled to death by these idiots.

“You aren’t becoming to personally involved in this assignment, are you?” The Admiral turned to the side to answer a question from someone off screen, Liam chose _not_ to answer that particular question. “I’m going to trust you on this one, Major. Doctor Gates, I’m giving him permission to do what he thinks is necessary. You will allow it.”

“Yes, Admiral.” Gates did not sound pleased.

“Hackett Out.”

Liam didn’t waste any time with the doctors who would want to argue him to death. He’d already decided what he was going to do, having the Admiral’s permission just made things easier. He told one of his _nurses_ to get the Commander dressed and have her get into the skycar waiting outside the rehab. It was a good thirty minutes before Shepard got into passenger’s seat. 

“What the hell…” She frowned at him when she realized who was driving.

“Don’t worry, love, I’m not kidnapping you for nefarious purposes. I even got Admiral Hackett’s permission.” He winked at her and then tossed an SR2 ballcap at her. “Put that on, don’t want someone recognizing _Commander Shepard_.”

“Do you really think this is going to cut it?” She rolled her eyes at him.

“You’d be surprised at how easy it can be to hide in plain sight.” He focused on flying while Shepard watched the city go by. He took the long way to the destination because he figured just being outside would be refreshing.

“Where are we going?” Her curiosity must have finally got the better of her.

“One of my favorite places in the city, Covent Gardens, they restored a good portion of it that was destroyed during the war. I was afraid they’d turn it into a modern monstrosity. But they kept all of the old charm. It’s…colorful.” He winked at her.

She fell silent and turned her gaze back to the passing scenes. In fact, Shepard was quiet for almost the entire day. She seemed completely focused on absorbing the life and vibrancy from the London streets. They walked for at least an hour or two before he noticed that she was starting to get tired. He led her back to the skycar and started back to the hospital.

“Not yet, please?” She placed a hand on his arm.

“You’re tired.”

“Please?”

“I do love to hear you beg.” He grinned at her when she smacked him on the back of the head. “I know just the spot.”

He flew over to a nearby hill that overlooked the river and the port. There were several Alliance ships docked and in the process of docking. But there was one in particular that he thought she might be interested in. 

“_The Normandy.” _ Her voice was so quiet that he almost didn’t hear her.

“That omni-tool has a fairly advanced cloaking device on it.” He had a feeling the Admiral was going to strip him of at least one rank for this, but from the grin on Shepard’s face, he really didn’t give a flying fuck.

“Does it?”

“We can’t stay long.” He warned while he flew them closer to the dock.

“If we get caught, I’m blaming you.” She muttered under her breath.

“That’s the spirit.”

She wouldn’t have to blame him; Hackett would already know whose idea it was. He waited for Shepard to _disappear_ then with her hand on his arm, he made is way slowly towards the _Normandy_ airlock. The ship was scheduled to depart again in a few hours so they had a little time. He started to head towards the CIC once they were onboard but Shepard pulled him towards the bridge instead.

“Major Coats?” Joker looked up at him in surprise.

“Commander Shepard.” EDI turned in her co-pilot seat to stare at the invisible woman at his side.

“Shepard?” Joker’s head swiveled around. “I don’t see…”

“The Commander is cloaked.”

“Well that was pointless.” Shepard suddenly reappeared at his side. “Thanks, EDI.”

“We don’t have a lot of time. I do not want to be here when the…”

“Major, Commander, what a _surprise_.” Hackett sounded very, very close.

They all turned towards the Admiral. Shepard immediately pointed at Liam. “He drove.”

“It’s good to see you on your feet, Shepard.” Hackett stepped closer to shake the Commander’s hand.”

“Thank you, sir. I…just wanted to see the ship.” She admitted with a smile. “I’m not supposed to be on my feet for much longer. The doctor might have a panic attack if I get tired. One of these days, I’m going to get truly exhausted just to watch him freak out.”

“I’ll be sure to wear you out later.” Liam leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Something you’d like to share?” Hackett did have a piercing glare when he wanted to. 

Coats just shrugged and smiled innocently. “I thought I’d give the Commander a tour of the ship before you head back to Arcturus.”

By the end of the tour, the Commander definitely appeared to need to get off her feet. He barely resisted the urge to just lift her up and carry her back to the skycar. She’d gotten to see the whole ship and all of her old crew. Doctor Gates would probably read him the riot act later for tiring her out, but fuck ‘em.

Shepard was lying in bed later when she realized that something was different about the ceiling. She reached over to flip on one of the lights on her side table. She turned her head from side to side. Someone had painted the fucking ceiling. It looked like the view from the Captain’s Quarters on the _Normandy_. She turned the light off again. The slightly blurry glow was such a welcome sight that she had to brush a few tears away. She grabbed her omni-tool.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_22:11 S: You…alone?_

_22:13 C: Is that an offer, Shepard?_

_22:14 S: No._

_22:15 C: Pity. I’d really like to put your biotics to the test._

_22:17 S: What happened to the blonde?_

_22:19 C: Bored._

_22:21 S: You or her?_

_22:23 C: Did you just message me to poke holes in my inflated ego?_

_22:24 S: Nah, that’s just the cherry on top._

_22:25 C: So?_

_22:26 S: I know you were assigned to watch out for me. I don’t understand why you’re going above and beyond._

_22:28 C: Because I want to. My assignment was simply to keep the hordes of admirers away from you. _

_22:29 S: Hordes?_

_22:30 C: Hordes._

_22:31 S: And the nurses?_

_22:32 C: The cherries on top of me._

_22:33 S: You are a sick man._

_22:35 C: Jealous, Shepard?_

_22:37 S: Why do I bother trying to have conversations with you?_

_22:38 C: I’m just that damn irresistible_

_22:39 S: I’ll tell you what I find irresistible. _

_22:40 User has disconnected. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Giggling._

_Always with the fucking giggling._

She knew Coats was around because the fucking nurses _always _tittered like damn school girls. It drove Shepard insane. She wanted to call the Major a shallow womanizer, but there was definitely more to him than that. She only needed to look at her ceiling for proof. But the fucking giggling, she sighed deeply before starting another set of weight reps.

“If you could just focus on the weights, Commander?”

Shepard glared at her physical therapist. “I _am_ focused on the weights. I’m holding them above my fucking head. How much _more_ focused should I be?”

“Commander.” Jeff gave her a tired look.

“Jeff. Go nag someone else. Please.” Shepard was going t put the idiot through a wall if he didn’t leave her alone.

“But…”

“Go bother someone who isn’t thinking about seeing how difficult it would be to detach your head from the rest of your body.” Shepard set the weights down and stood up slowly from the bench.

“Easy, love.” An arm wrapped around her shoulders and led her quickly out of the gym.

“Major.” She tried to wiggle out of his grasp. He smelled…she wasn’t going to think about that…much. “So which nurse was it today?”

“Brunette.” He kept a firm grip on her and led her towards the gardens outside instead of her room. “C’mon, Shepard, get some fresh air with me.”

“Ask the brunette,” she grumbled when he dragged her outside. “Fine, fine. Just let go. You smell…bad.”

“Very convincing, Commander,” Liam laughed. “Are you jealous? You seem to mention the nurses frequently.”

“Of what? Of the simpering idiots who throw themselves at you? Not a fucking chance.” She wasn’t going to think too much about that either.

_“Of course.” _

“Can I borrow your pistol? I need to shoot a hole in your ego.” She wandered over to her favorite bench to take a seat.

“You wound me.”

“I’d like to,” she muttered.

“So why are you so irritated with the therapist?” He sat next to her.

“No reason,” she shrugged.

No way in hell was she admitting that his flirting with the nurses had bothered her. Not to him, and not to herself either. She stood and walked back to her room. She’d had enough _Major Asshat_ for one fucking day. She wasn’t ready to acknowledge that she missed him when he wasn’t around.

_Cocky bastard_.

She was lying in bed later that night looking up at the faux skyline on the ceiling when her omni-tool beeped.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Coats_

_To: Shepard_

_22:37 C: You up, Shepard?_

_22:39 S: Star-gazing._

_22:40 C: I’ve been ordered to find you temporary housing starting in two weeks._

_22:44 S: What?_

_22:46 C: You’re being discharged from the hospital. You’ll still have daily therapy, but no more white walls._

_22:47 C: Do you have a preference for where?_

_22:48 S: Anywhere with a view._

_22:49 C: That’s very helpful, love._

_22:51 S: Why are you telling me this? I haven’t heard anything from the docs._

_22:53 C: The esteemed doctors want to wait to tell you, so act surprised._

_22:54 S: You are…_

_22:55 C: an exceptional specimen of the male species? _

_22:56 S: a confusing man._

_22:58 C: Confusing?_

_23:01 S: Every time that I think I’ve accurately defined who you are to myself, you…it doesn’t matter. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be on my best behavior so they don’t have an excuse to change their minds._

_23:02 C: Wise move. Try not to physically harm Jeff while you’re at it._

_23:04 S: Good night, Major._

_20:04 User has disconnected._

It was a week the doctors finally told her that she was being released…from the hospital and rehab…not to active duty. When Admiral Hackett stepped into the room and the doctors left, she knew immediately that her military career was over. The Admiral would try to make it sound like a good thing, but she would be finished with the Alliance.

“We need to talk about your future.” Hackett took the seat closest to her.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at him. “Am I being Cat-6’d?”

“Of course not.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “Am I retiring?”

“Only you can make that decision, Commander.” Hackett’s face was…impassive.

“Which is a really bullshit way of saying yes.” Shepard tapped her fingers on the table in front of her for a moment.

“Watch your tone, Shepard.”

“Consider this my official request for retirement. I assume Major Coats will be assigned elsewhere since I am no longer of concern to the Alliance.” Shepard started for the door.

“Sit your ass back down in that chair, Commander.” Hackett waited for her to comply. “The Major’s current or next assignments aren’t really any of your business.”

She didn’t bother to respond, just sat in the chair fuming.

“You…” The Admiral took a deep breath before continuing. “The Alliance can never thank you enough for your service. But I’ve seen the reports from the doctors, the chances of you ever being fully medically cleared for active duty are not good. And you know it. You’re going to be promoted to Major; you’ll receive a pension package and housing here in London. “

“Housing?” She glanced up at him then. ”Housing? Since when does retirement come with housing?”

“Did I say a damn thing about retirement?” He asked.

“No, sir.” She refused to apologize for jumping to conclusions. “So what are you saying?”

“There is an open position for inter-species relations department here in the London. We need help coordinating between species. Since the war, the council races are trying to work and communicate better than before the war. It’s not easy though, and we need someone who they respect, who they know and who understands how to get multiple groups to cooperate.” Hackett slid a datapad across the table to her.

“What position?”

“Head of Department.”

“Me?” Shepard skimmed through the details of the position on the datapad quickly. “Seriously? So…the Alliance isn’t hanging me out to dry?”

“Not on my watch, _Major_.” Hackett shook his head. “But if you’d rather retire.”

“Hell no.” Shepard would lose her fucking mind if they tried to force her into early retirement. “When do I start?”

“Thirty days. That should give you enough time to get your housing figured out and get acquainted with the city. You’ll also want to choose a few people to fill out your staff. I’ve made a few recommendations, you’ll find their dossiers on the datapad.” Hackett started for the door.

“Admiral?”

He glanced back at her. “Shepard?”

“Thank you, sir.” She grinned at him.

“You wouldn’t let us build a monument in your honor so this is the least that I could do.” He acknowledged her salute and then headed out of the room.

An hour later, Shepard was still in the conference room looking over the files that he’d left with her. She needed a communications specialist. That was her first priority, someone that could make all the annoying things easy. The first name on the list that he’d given her was interestingly enough the person that she wanted. She frowned suspiciously while going through the other names…they were all very familiar, even the liaisons for the council species were familiar.

_That crafty motherfucker._

“I hear congratulations are in order.”

Shepard glanced up to find Major Coats standing in the doorway. “Thanks. Did you know?”

He just shrugged. “So you want to see a few of the apartments that I found that you might be interested in?”

“Sure. So what’s your new assignment?” She followed him outside to his vehicle.

“The Admiral didn’t tell you?”

“No. He said it ‘wasn’t any of my business’ end quote.” Shepard rolled her eyes.

“Well then.”

“Bastard.” She reached out to flick him on the ear but he grabbed her wrist before she could.

“I haven’t actually been _reassigned_ yet.” He stared at her pointedly before releasing her arm. “Are you going to miss me, love?”

“In your dreams.” She turned her attention to watching the passing streets.

She didn’t like the first three apartments that he showed her. But then fell instantly in love with the fourth one. It was in downtown London, not far from the River Thames and walking distance to where her new office would be. The apartment itself was on the twentieth floor and provided an amazing view of the city. It had two bedrooms, one that she’d end up converting into a home office.

“This place is amazing. How’d you know about?” She wandered over to look at the balcony that stood off the living room. She turned back towards him when he stayed silent. “Wait a fucking minute. You live in this building.”

He grinned at her. “Guilty as charged.”

She tried to be pissed off at him. But the apartment was stunning, the view was…perfect. She’d just have to work extra hard to avoid him…and the goddamn twinkle in his eyes.

“I’ll take it.”

“I thought so.” He grinned at her.

“Cocky fucker.” She failed miserably when she tried not to smile back at him.


	5. Chapter 5

_From: Major Shepard_

_To: Admiral Hackett_

_Subj: Dossiers_

_Are these your recommendations for the positions?_

_Or did they volunteer? _

_I find it hard to believe that they’d want to be grounded in London._

_Shepard_

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Major Shepard_

_Subj: re: Dossiers_

_They all voluntarily applied for the positions._

_Hackett_

She wanted to ask him about Major Coats and where he was going to be reassigned. The next two weeks were spent picking through the dossiers and selecting furniture from a catalog. The apartment came fully furnished, thank the gods. She sure as hell didn’t intend to spend her days shopping. 

She moved in a week before her scheduled return to _active,_ but not really, duty. Thorough the Shadow Broker grapevine, she heard that the Major had been assigned as drill instructor at the Alliance Sniper School that was located near Sevenoaks in Kent. 

_New apartment, new couch, new assignment._

_From: Major Shepard_

_To: Admiral Hackett_

_Subj: re: Dossiers_

_I’ve made my decisions._

_Traynor, Cortez and Vega are definite yes’s. If they really don’t mind being Earth-side. _

_Shepard_

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Major Shepard_

_Subj: re: Dossiers._

_I did actually try to dissuade them._

_They’re already on their way._

_Hackett_

Shepard was staring into her empty fridge an hour later when the door buzzer sounded. Liam stood on the other side with what looked like a bag of take-out in one hand and a couple six packs of Guinness in the other.

“Hungry?” He lifted the bag of food.

_Fucking mind reader. _

Waving him inside, she told herself that she absolutely _wasn’t_ checking out the way his ass and legs looked in his fitted jeans. He set the take-out on one of the kitchen counters and turned around. And then Shepard found herself _not_ checking out the small tuft of hair peeking out of the open collar of his black button-up shirt. Her fingers itched a little to undo a few more of his buttons to get a better look.

“Distracted, love?”

_Busted._

She glanced up to find him grinning at her. She ignored the smug bastard and headed into the kitchen to grab a couple bowls and utensils. “So what’d you bring?”

_“Noodles.” _

“Must you make _everything_ sound perverse?” She rolled her eyes at him.

“Yes, I really must.” He took two beers out and put the rest in the fridge.

Ignoring him was obviously the smartest solution. Shepard filled a bowl with beef noodles, grabbed one of the beers and stepped out on the balcony. She dropped into one of the lounge chairs. Coats followed her out and sat in the other one. He propped his feet up on the balcony railing. They ate in silence for a while.

“You got a little…” He reached across to wipe a drop from the corner of her mouth. He licked it intentionally slowly from his thumb.

Shepard told herself to look anywhere but at his mouth. She watched his tongue instead. _Damn it_. She made herself look out at the view of London and gulped down some of her beer. She set her bowl on the little table between the chairs and her hand brushed against his.

“So will you be moving to Sevenoaks?” She stood up and stepped up to the balcony railing.

“Going to miss me?”

“The nurses will be all depressed. I still have to see them once a week.” She shoved his feet off the railing.

“Right.” He laughed at her. “I’m not moving. It’s not that much of a commute for me.”

“Oh good, I don’t have to hear the nurses wail and gnash their teeth at your absence.” She kept her gaze on the setting sun.

“Do you ever find yourself looking for reapers?” He stepped up beside her.

“All the damn time.” She sighed and leaned her arms on the railing.

“I saw you run towards the beam that night.” He bumped his arm against hers.

“I remember hearing you over the comm. Honestly? I try not to think about it that much. My memory is a little spotty about some of it.” She watched him out of the corner of her eyes.

“You were up close and personal with all of it from the very beginning.” He turned to face her.

_He was up close and fucking personal in her space._

She gave in to the desire burning in her mind. Her fingers satisfied their urge to ease inside the collar of his shirt. She stood on her toes to kiss him. When his hands came up to clasp her arms, she backed away from him.

_Bad idea, Shepard, bad. Very bad._

_Alternately, do it again._

She took a moment to compose herself. “Thanks for dinner. You should really go now.”

He raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t argue when she all but shoved him out the front door.

“I am such an idiot.” She rested her forehead against the closed door. Her fingers touched her lips. The Major was a damn good kisser. “_Idiot._”

Stopping to grab the beers that he’d left behind, Shepard went back out to sit on the balcony and enjoy the beautiful skyline. It was well after midnight and her fourth…tenth beer that she grabbed her omni-tool from the table. Against what her more sober judgment might be, her drunken idiotic-self opened a chat request.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_01:17 S: Do you have more beer?_

_01:23 C: More? You drank all the beer?_

_01:24 S: Maybe. It’s been a while since I had beer._

_01:26 C: I do have more._

_01:28 S: Bring it._

_01:30 User has disconnected._

Liam grabbed two beers from his fridge and headed down one floor to Shepard’s apartment. She opened the door dressed in an over-sized N7 t-shirt that stopped just below her thighs. It gave him a magnificent view of her legs.

“Eyes up here.” Her voice was a little slurred while she attempted to snap her fingers at him.

“I think you’ve had enough Guinness.” He set the two beers on a nearby side table.

“I want to kiss you again.” Shepard appeared to be thinking out-loud while she stumbled towards the hallway that he knew led to two bedrooms in the apartment. “ ‘s a very bad idea.”

“Why?” He followed her into her bedroom.

“You kiss a lot of mouths.”

“Maybe not as many as you think.” He couldn’t resist laughing when the Commander fell face forward on the bed. This damn woman was driving him mental.

She rolled on her back and stared up at the ceiling. “I miss the stars. They were pretty.”

“I’ll just let you…”

“Come closer.”

He stopped near the door. “What?”

“Very large bed. Very lonely.” Her words were starting to blend together as she fought off a yawn.

Shepard woke up the following morning with a pounding headache. She cursed the invention of beer before realizing that a very _male_ arm was draped across her body. Her eyes flew open and she looked into a very amused pair of green eyes. “Oh god, did we?”

“Did we what, love?” He did _not_ look hung-over.

“Do anything?”

“Like what?” He _did_ look annoyingly smug.

“Oh fuck me.”

“I tried, you were too drunk.”

“So…no to the sex?”

“You were too drunk, love. I wasn’t about to take advantage of that when you can knock me into the middle of next week with your damn biotics.” He let her slide out from under his arm.

“You mean I feel asleep on you.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“That too.”


	6. Chapter 6

An hour into her first day of _active, but not really, duty,_ Shepard suddenly remembered why she hated politicians. By the end of the day, she was reconsidering the entire concept of retirement. She also toyed with the idea of sending hate mail to the Admiral.

_Goddamn bastard. _

_He took her ship and left her to deal with the fucking lying…she really needed a drink._

She let Vega and Cortez talk her into heading to one of the nearby pubs for a beer. She limited herself to _one_ this time. Her drinking buddies were still at it several hours later when she left the bar to walk home. She changed into a tank-top and blue striped pajama bottoms and went out onto the balcony with a cup of tea. Her omni-tool beeped the moment she sat down.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Coats_

_To: Shepard_

_21:56 C: Good first day?_

_21:58 S: More like long._

_21:59 C: Women usually like that._

_22:01 S: Bite me._

_22:03 C: Where?_

_22:04 S: Did you want something Major?_

_22:05 C: So many, many things. Have you eaten?_

_22:06 S: Does a pint of ale count?_

_22:08 C: They screwed up my take-out order. I’ve got double what I need. Want to have dinner with me?_

_22:09 S: They gave you a double order._

_22:10 S: How many times has that line worked for you?_

_22:12 C: Including tonight?_

_22:13 S: Cocky bastard._

_22:15 C: Be right down._

_22:16 User has disconnected. _

Shepard glanced down at her current choice in clothing with a shrug. She walked over to open the door and then headed into the kitchen without bothering to see if he stepped inside. With a yawn, she hopped up to sit on the counter.

“You look completely done in.” Liam handed her one of two containers. 

She peered inside to find what looked like a steak sandwich. She took a bite and set the sandwich next to her. “I forgot how exhausting politicians are.”

“My sympathies.”

Shepard caught the amused grin before he hid it. _Bastard._ The trouble with a man like Major Coats was that they were damn near as irresistible as they thought they were. At the moment, he was more appetizing than the steak sandwich. She tried to make herself take another bit but just couldn’t.

“Problems, love?” He stepped around the island in the kitchen. 

Shaking her head, she reached for the damn sandwich once more. She chewed mechanically through a few bites while diligently avoiding looking anywhere near him. He opened her fridge and pulled out to bottles. He tossed her the water and opened a beer for himself.

“Why do you get the beer?” She tossed the bottle cap at him.

“I want you sober.” Liam smirked at her before taking a long swig from the beer.

“Sober?” She raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“It’s hard to get you out of your damn pants if you’re too drunk to cooperate.” He set the beer on the island next to empty container and came over to lean against the counter next to her.

“I have no interest in becoming another damn notch on your bedpost, Major.” Shepard managed to say it with what she hoped was a straight face.

“You shouldn’t lie to yourself, love.” Coats stepped in front of her, resting his hands on either side of her on the kitchen counter.

She lifted her hand and emptied her bottle of water on his head. “I think you need to cool off a little, _love._”

He stood in front of her with water dripping from his head and shook with laughter. “Is that supposed to be a deterrent?”

Her sarcastic response floated away in her mind when he leaned in close enough that she could smell his cologne and pick up the darker flecks of green in his eyes. He didn’t touch her, just stood there waiting for her to make the first move.

_Goddamn cocky bastard. _

She could’ve resisted him making the first move. But his damn lips were so close and so very tempting. She lifted a hand to brush some of the drops of water from his face. Her fingers trailed a path from his forehead along his nose and finally across his lips. She half expected to find a smirk on his face, but there were apparently some things that even he took seriously.

Just as she was about to lean in to kiss him, the buzzer on her door sounded. She was half tempted to ignore it, but then a loud banging echoed through the apartment. 

_The fuck._

Shepard hopped down from the counter and headed for the door. She paused to toss a kitchen towel at Liam to dry his head off. She found a very drunk Vega being supported by a slightly less inebriated Cortez. They stumbled past her into her apartment.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Shepard stood with her hands on her hips glaring at the two men who were now sprawled on separate ends of her couch.

“We got…we got…something.” Vega glanced at his buddy for support. “What’d we get?”

“Lost. We got lost.” Steve answered.

“Yea. That…lost.” Vega seemed very pleased with himself.

Cortez pushed James away when Vega fell over into his lap. “Like a fucking tree. Do you know how hard it is to lug him around?”

She stared up at the ceiling for a moment trying to remember that if she killed them now, she’d regret it at some point. “If you couldn’t find your apartments, how the hell did you find mine?”

“’s a very good point.” Cortez nodded.

“It is a good…point.” Vega agreed.

“So?” Shepard prompted after they just nodded at each other for a while.

“He had a map.” Cortez pointed at his buddy.

“You could read a map. Why not find a map for your own place?” Shepard glared at Liam who was practically falling over laughing.

“Oh yea.” James looked up at her seriously. “I was looking at the wrong map.”

“The wrong…oh just sleep it off.” Shepard stormed out to her balcony to take a few deep breathes and leave the drunken fools to sleep it off.

“Poor sods.” Liam chuckled when he joined her next to the railing.

“They’re going to regret that in the morning. I plan on being very, very _loud_ when I wake up tomorrow.” Shepard glared over her shoulder towards the living room. “Idiots.”

The Major wrapped an arm around her waist and slid her over so they were leaning against each other. His arm stayed around her. “I’m guessing that we aren’t going to be testing out that new bed of yours.”

“No.”

“Pity.”

“Yes…I mean no.” Shepard was regretting the decision to just have one beer earlier.

“What’s with the hesitation, Shepard?” He turned a little so that he could look her in the eye. “Seriously, I’m available, you’re available. I’m interested, you’re interested. What’s the problem?”

“I’ve seen the string of women trailing after you, Liam. I don’t think I want to be your _flavor of the day_.” She opted to go with the truth, even if it left her vulnerable. “I like you. I find you…damn near irresistible. But in the morning when I’m alone in bed looking at the empty space where you were, I’m going to be just as lonely as I was before. I don’t think I want just a glimpse of paradise to have it snatched away.”

“I…”

“Well, what do you know; Major Asshat can actually be stunned into silence.” Shepard laughed.

“Shepard…”

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of furniture breaking, that was immediately followed by a ‘oh shit’ and running feet. Shepard raced back inside to find Vega stumbling down her hallway and locking himself in the bathroom. 

She glanced over at Cortez. “What the hell did you two idiots drink? I’ve seen James drink Tequila with a ryncol chaser and not puke.”

“Don’t remember,” he shrugged and went back to sleep on the couch.

“Great.” Shepard surveyed the damage. Vega had apparently run _through _the damn coffee table instead of around it. “You two idiots are paying for that.”

Cortez snored…loudly…in response.

“Shepard, I think…” Coats tried to draw her attention back to him but Shepard was distracted by the sight of Vega walking back down the hallway with what looked like a black negligee in his hands.

“Hey Lola, how come you never wear this kind of stuff?” He tossed it at her. His drunken aim was off so it went right into Liam’s face.

“That’s it.” She stormed towards James and grabbed him by the arm. She dragged him into the spare room which had a cot in the corner and shoved him down on it. “Sleep it off, Lieutenant.”

She stepped back out in the hallways to find a highly amused Liam holding up her sexy nightgown. She tried to grab it but he pulled it out of her reach. “I’m killing all of you. I don’t care if Hackett yells at me.”

“You buy this with someone special in mind, Shepard?” He walked towards her, slowly pushing her towards her bedroom.

“Yes, myself.” She succeeded in grabbing it out of his hands.

“Who says that you’ll be alone in bed in the morning?” His arms stretched out enough that she couldn’t duck past him, and forced her to continue backing up through her bedroom door.

“Historical data.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“You just don’t have all the facts. You shouldn’t make a decision without doing sufficient research, Commander.” He stood in the doorway watching her.

She tossed the negligee on the top of her nearby dresser. “Research?”

“Research.”


	7. Chapter 7

Shepard woke up for the second time to find Major Coats in her bed with his arm draped around her. This time, she’d been sober enough to know that they hadn’t done anything besides sleep. She didn’t know what to make of Liam. She’d watched him sleep with or at least date every damn nurse in the hospital and rehab center, yet in the thirty days since she’d been released, he’d been working or bothering her.

“It’s too early to be thinking that much, love.”

She glanced down to find him watching her. “I have…punishment to deal out.”

“Poor lads,” he chuckled.

“Annoying, drunken bastards,” she corrected. “It’s about to get very loud.”

“Loud?”

“I’m going to make breakfast. Want some?” She started for the door.

“Sure. I’ve got to head out to the range for a training class. Will you have dinner with me, tonight at seven?” He sat up in bed. 

She didn’t even hear the question, she was too focused on the view she had of his upper body. “I’m sorry, what?”

“See something you like, love?” He pushed the covers a little lower.

“I…uh…breakfast.” Shepard turned towards the door again.

“So tonight? Dinner?”

She glanced back over her shoulder to grin at him. “Your place or mine?”

“Mine.”

Shepard tackled Vega first. She stepped into the guest room and dumped a bucket of water over his head. “Living room, ten minutes, now, Lieutenant.”

Vega shot up and tumbled to the floor. “Aye, aye…sir…ma’am. Fuck me.”

She headed into the kitchen and began slamming cabinets randomly. Cortez fell off the couch with a thud. “Morning, Cortez.”

“Shhhhh.”

“Sorry, I can’t _hear_ you.” Shepard’s voice was several decibels louder than necessary. “Would you like eggs?”

“Not so loud, Lola.” Vega stumbled into the living with his hand over his eyes.

“I’m sorry; I seem to be a little deaf this morning. What was that?” She slammed a frying pan down on the counter. “Scrambled eggs fine?”

“If we promise never to show up drunk again, will you please stop banging shit around?” Cortez pulled himself up off the floor.

“No.” She slammed the pan again. “Oh fine, I’ll take pity on you. There’s coffee…and toast. We’ve got an hour before we’re late for the conference comm with the Council on the Citadel.”

“What the hell did you two bastards drink last night?” Coats wandered into the living room looking as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He had apparently decided to ignore the looks from the two men on the couch and headed into the kitchen. 

Shepard handed him a cup of coffee and piece of toast. “It’s not much, but we’re all going to be late, and it’s only fucking Tuesday.”

He winked at her before heading out the door with coffee and toast in hand. “See you later, love.”

“Hey Shepard, something you want to share with the drunks?” Cortez asked once the Major was gone.

“No.” She crammed a piece of toast into her mouth and wandered back to her bedroom to get dressed.

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_Subj: Dinner_

_Do you want me to bring anything?_

_Shepard_

_From: Coats _

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_That black negligee._

_Coats_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_Ok. _

_But it’s not really your size._

_It might make your ass look fat._

_Shepard_

_From: Coats_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_Been checking out my ass, love?_

_Coats_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_Don’t you have a class to teach?_

_Coats_

_From: Coats_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_Don’t you have politicians to placate?_

_Admit it. _

_You miss me._

_Coats_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_Subj: re: Dinner_

_I admit nothing._

_Heading into a meeting._

_See you at seven._

_Shepard_

The last meeting of the day ran late into the evening. She was thirty minutes late as it was when she started to run towards the apartment building. The skies decided to open up on the way. Shepard ended up heading straight to the Major’s apartment looking like a drenched rat. She didn’t have time to change out of her uniform. 

“Sorry.” She muttered through chattering teeth the moment his door opened. She’d started shivering on the way up in the elevator. “It’s raining.”

“It’s London.” Liam let her inside. He pointed down the hallway. “The bedroom is the first room on the right. Grab a towel and dry off, you can borrow one of my shirts. You’ll catch pneumonia in those wet clothes.”

It was a good ten minutes before she stepped back into the living room. She’d borrowed one of his Alliance t-shirts and a pair of shorts. Her hair was still a little wet, but she knew he had to be starving at this point. She was officially the worst date ever.

“Drink, you need to get your body temperature back up.” He placed a warm mug in her hands and then looked her over from head to toe. “I don’t think that shirt has ever looked so good.”

“This is a bizarre way to start a first date.” She curled her legs up under her as she sat on the couch to sip tea.

“Not a first date, love.” Liam spoke from the kitchen. “Not even the second one.”

“What’s for dinner?” She cradled the mug in her hands and let the warmth soak in.

He walked back into the living to set a bowl on the coffee table in front of her. “Baked Ziti, my grandmother’s recipe.”

Shepard set the mug on the counter and grabbed the bowl. “Smells amazing.”

Liam sat beside her and leaned over to place a kiss on her neck. “So do you.”

“Are we eating the pasta or me?” She raised an eyebrow when he switched from his lips to using his teeth on her skin.

His hand slid up her leg and his fingers just barely grazed underneath the shorts. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“Liam.” She couldn’t stop the moan when his fingers explored along her inner thigh and just barely missed her pussy.

“A little louder, love,” he chuckled.

“Cocky bastard.” Shepard punched his shoulder lightly. “I thought we were having dinner.”

“Dessert first.” He plucked the bowl from her hands and set it on the table. Then he lifted her off the couch and carried her back down the hall towards his bedroom. “Besides, pasta is always better after the flavors have time to blend together.”

He set her down on the edge of his bed and she watched him slowly strip down to nothing. She’d been wanting to see him completely naked for a while…and it did not disappoint. The man had a fucking reason to be cocky. 

He crouched down in front of her to pull his shirt off of her and then he slowly slid the shorts down her legs. He paused to kiss the inside of her thigh. He pulled her legs over his shoulders and eased her closer to the edge of the bed. His lips slowly kissed down the inside of her left thigh before doing the same to her right.

“What are you…” Her voice trailed off.

“I told you, love. Dessert first.” He chuckled.

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

The sensation of burning all over was not a pleasant one, and it was one that she had experienced before. This time however there were no damn reapers or weapons involved. She could tell from the scratchiness in the back of her throat that her time running in the rain had not turned out well. She felt a hand on her forehead and opened her eyes.

“I love a woman who’s hot for me, but feverish is a little much, love.” Liam removed his hand from her head. “You’re not going anywhere today.”

Shepard closed her eyes and groaned. “I have a meeting at ten that I can’t miss.”

“You have a fever.” He got out of bed and pulled a second blanket up over her. “I’ve already sent Traynor a message that you’re not making it in today. The meetings can wait. I’m getting you some cold meds, you’ll be right as…rain…by tomorrow.”

“That is not funny, bastard.” She started to sit up but a strong hand gently pushed her back down. “Liam.”

“Yes?” He kept his hand on her shoulder.

She just shook her head and sank into the pillows. Her head was starting to feel like someone had shoved cotton into it. She grumbled through the breakfast that he _insisted_ that she eat. She’d started to say no but gave in when he threatened to feed her himself. The cold meds didn’t take long to kick in and sleep followed rapidly.

It was a long ten hours of tossing and turning before she woke up feeling about eighty percent better. The powers of modern medicine had not been wasted on the common cold. She stretched under the blankets and looked around in confusion. 

_Where the hell was her furniture?_

_The Fuck._

_Oh yea. _

_Liam’s bedroom…Liam’s furniture._

She headed into his bathroom for a hot shower. The fever had left her sweaty and gross. There was something so sexy about using a man’s soap. She reveled in the smell that was quintessentially the Major. She couldn’t find her fatigues anywhere when she finished so grabbed another one of his shirts. She wandered around the apartment and finally found him in his office working at a terminal.

“Feeling better, love?” He grabbed the hem of the t-shirt and used it to pull her over into his lap.

“Mostly.” She put up a token resistance that he ignored. 

“You should get some more rest. Sleep’s the best remedy.” He placed the back of his hand against her forehead and then neck. “Feels like the fever’s broken at least.”

“This might be the strangest date I’ve ever had.” Shepard attempted to speak through a yawn. She stood to head for the door. If she was going to get more sleep, she really should do it in her own damn bed.

“Where do you think you’re going, Shepard?”

_One of these days, she was going to take the cocky bastard down a notch._

_Yawn._

_Apparently, it was not going to be today._

“Home. To sleep.” She yawned for a third time and had to blink a few times when her eyes watered. 

“You can sleep here.” It didn’t exactly sound like an offer.

“You are a cocky fucker.” She muttered before walking towards the front door. She refused to be coddled by the Major any further. And she was not going to admit to enjoying any of it.

_Nope. Not a goddamn minute of it._

She was about to step out of the door when she realized that her current attire wasn’t conducive to being in public. The lack of underwear might shock some of her neighbors. _Shit. _ She glanced around trying to find her damn clothes from the night before. A cough brought her attention to the Major who was sitting on the arm of the couch with a smirk.

“Problem, love?”

“Where the hell are my pants?” She tried to look indignant but it didn’t work when he looked like he wanted to rip the damn t-shirt off of her.

“In the dryer.”

“Which is where?” She glanced around in the kitchen like it might suddenly appear out of thin air.

“Are you sure you don’t want to take a little nap here?”

“I’ve been napping all damn day. Where are my clothes, Liam?” She glared at him.

He chuckled before pointing towards a room off of the kitchen. She didn’t bother with a thank you and stormed off in the direction that he had pointed. _Insufferably arrogant…and sexy bastard._ This whole damn thing was a disaster waiting to happen. She needed to get home so she could think clearly. She grabbed her uniform from the dryer and turned around to find him standing in the doorway.

She tried to move around him but he shifted to block her path. “Do you mind?”

“I like you in my apartment. I like you even more in my t-shirt.” His hand reached down to slowly lift the hem of the shirt.

Shepard swatted his hand away and bent over to pull her pants back on. She had to swat his hands away a few more times before she managed to get them on. She gave him an annoyed look when he still refused to let her out of his laundry room.

“Have dinner with me again?” He asked.

“Ask me later.” She finally dodged around him and started for the front door without bothering to give him a chance to respond.

She curled up under the covers in her bed when she got back to her place and fell asleep almost immediately. It was well into the next day when she finally woke up. A quick glance at her omni-tool told her that she was definitely missing another day of work. She sent Traynor a message and closed her eyes again. She heard the faint sound of her door buzzer but sleep claimed her again. 

Another six hours had passed by the time she woke up again. She stretched on the bed and her foot hit something…large. She shot up out of bed reaching for the pistol that she always kept on her side table.

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” She glared at the arrogant bastard sitting on the edge of her bed.

“I knocked. I rang the damn buzzer. I messaged you on your omni-tool.” Coats ticked them off on his fingers. “I was getting worried.”

“Worried?” She frowned at him before rubbing her eyes with her fingers for a few minutes. She still felt groggy from sleep. Her stomach growled letting her know that maybe sleeping for almost twenty-four hours without sleep was a bad idea. “How the hell did you get into my apartment?”

“It’s a secret. Let’s have dinner.”

“Fine. You go up to your place and eat. And I’ll eat here. And technically, we’ll be having dinner together.” She slowly got out of bed without considering the fact that she’d gone to sleep in nothing but underwear and his t-shirt. 

“That is not what I meant, love.” He smiled when he caught sight of her current lack of clothing. “And how could I…”

Shepard didn’t bother to wait to hear what he intended to say next. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of her bedroom. If this was developing into something more than…whatever the hell it had been before, he was not going to have the upper hand. Well, not all the damn time. She shoved him out her front door and then sealed it.

It opened five seconds later.

“I should call the cops.” She glared at him. “Where the hell did you get my door code?”

“The building manager. Told him that you were ill and I was worried.” Liam chuckled.

“Is there a particular reason that you are breaking into my apartment…again?” She retreated to the safety of the couch.

“You were sick all day yesterday. I wanted to make sure that you had a good meal.” His tone was mild but the look in eyes told he wasn’t thinking about food at all.

“So just dinner?” She was starting to find it impossible to resist the Major. _Damn it._

“For now.”


	9. Chapter 9

It was Thursday before Shepard got back to her office. She didn’t bother responding to the Major’s messages. Not because she didn’t want to, she was just too fucking busy. Saturday morning, she dragged herself to the last of her weekly rehab sessions. Since it was the last time, she resisted the urge to be mean to poor Jeff.

She headed out to her waiting skycar only to have it explode into a massive fireball. The blast sent her flying backwards into the building. It took a moment to catch her breath, the impact with the wall and knocked the air out of her lungs. She stared stunned at the vehicle that was completely engulfed in flames.

_What the fucking fuck._

Pulling herself up into a seated position, she leaned back against the wall and sent a message to Traynor. She wanted the security footage from around the hospital. No way in hell the explosion was an accident. Someone had targeted her, and it had been her specifically because they waited for her to be alone. She also told Samantha to send a cab for her since she was clearly not driving herself back to her apartment.

While she waited for Cortez who she assumed would be showing up, she wandered over to the wreckage to see if there was anything left. It appeared to be a centralized underneath the driver’s side, which had taken the most damage. _Assholes. _ She crouched down to get a better look. Firefighters and an arson investigator arrived from the Alliance and Shepard stepped back to let them do their job.

_Where the hell was Cortez?_

Shepard was getting ready to start walking home when an Alliance Kodiak landed nearby. She shouldn’t have been surprised when it wasn’t Cortez but Major Coats that stepped out of the damn shuttle. _ Damn it, Traynor._ Liam spared a glance towards the smoking shell that had been her skycar and then rushed over to her.

“Are you ok, love?” He looked her over for injuries.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I’m perfectly fine. The car wasn’t quite so lucky.”

“Traynor told me that you requested the footage from the security cameras.” Liam started back towards the Kodiak without waiting to see if she was following.

She ignored him and wandered over to speak to the fire chief. Once she asked him to send over his report, she headed towards the shuttle where Coats was waiting impatiently. She stepped inside to find Cortez was actually flying.

“Did you have to bring Major Coats with you?” She sank into the co-pilot seat and glared at Cortez.

“He’s a hard man to refuse.” Cortez winked at her. “Besides, have you seen his ass?”

“Up close and without clothes on,” she grinned at him.

“You have all the luck.”

“I can _hear_ you both.” Liam cleared his throat loudly.

“We know.” Cortez started flying back towards what she assumed was her apartment building.

“We just find it irrelevant to the conversation,” Shepard added.

“Is his package as impressive unwrapped?” Cortez whispered loud enough for both of them to hear.

“Oh yea.” Shepard grinned over her shoulder at Coats who was staring up at the shuttle ceiling. “Divine intervention doesn’t work like that.”

“Could you come here for a moment, love?” Liam took a seat in the back of the shuttle.

Shepard exchanged a smile with Cortez before taking the seat beside the Major. “Yes?”

“You keep this up; I’m going to start making some assumptions.” He looked at her seriously.

“You do have the ass part right.” She smirked.

“I think he’s trying to tell you that he wants to go steady.” Cortez spoke over his shoulder.

Shepard tried to smother her laughter but ended bent over gasping for air she was laughing so hard. “I think he wants you to stop helping.”

“You’ve been ignoring me.” Liam drew her attention back to him.

“No, I’ve been busy.” She hadn’t been ignoring him…exactly.

“Do you have plans this evening?”

“She does.” Cortez answered for her.

Shepard glared at the pilot. “We’re going down to the Anchor around eight. Want to join us?”

The pub was crowded by the time they got there. Shepard crowded around the table with Cortez and Vega who were trying to convince her to drink more than one pint of beer. Traynor was flirting with the bartender who was a sexy redhead. She couldn’t get her mind off the explosion earlier. They couldn’t do anything at the moment, but it bothered her.

“I’ll be right back.” Shepard slid her empty glass across the table and headed for the door. She just wasn’t in the mood for the crowded bar and noise level. 

“You ok, Shepard?” Cortez started to get up as well.

She waved him back down. “Yea, I’m fine. Just not in the mood. I’ll see you both on Monday. Do NOT show up drunk at my door.”

They chucked and raised their glasses to her in salute. She said goodbye to Traynor and stepped through the door. 

“Going home already?”

She looked up to find Liam crossing the street towards her. “I’ve had enough loud noise for one day.”

“I have an idea.” He grabbed her hand and led her down the street towards a nearby café.

It was a quiet, out of the way place that was fairly empty at the moment. They got a booth in a secluded corner and ordered coffee. Shepard ordered a few sandwiches and cakes. She’d forgotten to eat dinner before heading to the bar. He ended up eating over half of what she ordered. She watched him start to lick frosting from his thumb. 

“Wait.”

He paused with his hand in the air. “Shepard?”

She reached out to wrap her fingers around his wrist and pull him up across the table. She sucked the frosting from his thumb and then let go of his arm. “Mmm, tasty.”

“Maybe I should get some frosting to go. There are plenty of other places to lick frosting from.” Liam winked at her and then waved the server over to ask for the bill.

“Are we leaving already?” Shepard took a sip of coffee.

“I’ve got a few ideas for that cake that I just ordered and all of them require privacy.” He took the to-go box from the server and grabbed Shepard’s hand to lead her out of the coffee shop.

“Ideas?” Shepard had to quicken her step to keep up with him. “Are we in a hurry?”

“I’m hungry. _Very_ hungry.” Liam smirked at her and lifted the box up. “I find I’m developing quite a sweet tooth.”

She was about to make a sarcastic retort but found herself distracted by looking down at his hand holding hers. He led her up to his apartment instead of hers and straight into his bedroom. He pulled out the small cake from the container.

“Strip for me, love.” He let go of her hand.

“What are…” She trailed at the intensity in his gaze. She stripped slowly out of her fatigues, tossing them on the chair in the corner. 

He motioned for her to lie back on the bed. “Get comfortable.”

“Comfortable?”

“Very.”

Liam used his finger to gather the frosting from the top of the little cake and began slowly leaving a trail of chocolate from her lips down her neck and across her breast. He didn’t stop until he ran out of frosting when he reached her thigh. She was about to ask what the hell he was doing when he stood and undressed. 

_God he was hot._

“I do love chocolate.” He murmured against her lips before slowly using his tongue to erase the frosting from her body.


	10. Chapter 10

The first thought to cross her mind Sunday morning was that she really needed to stop waking up in bed with Major Coats. But glancing over at him while he slept, the second thought was it needed to happen every damn morning. _Every damn morning_. Feelings were definitely starting to develop that she didn’t know if she was ready to explore.

Shepard started to roll away from his body to get up but he followed her across the bed. His arms went around her like an iron vice. She thought he’d woken up, but a look over her shoulder proved that he was still asleep. She let herself relax back against him.

“Morning.” A husky voice murmured against the base of her neck about an hour later.

She shivered at the sensation. “Morning. I need to get up.”

“And?”

“I seem to be a little _wrapped_ up at the moment.” She tapped a finger against one of his arms. “You’re going to have to let me go.”

“No.”

“No?” She twisted around on her back so she could see his face.

“I’m not letting you go, love.” His lips now rested against her jaw.

“Are we talking about the same thing?” She moved on her side to face him. “I’m just going to check my messages. I think I left my omni-tool in my pants pocket.”

His arms tightened around her. “Can I take you out tonight, love?”

“Tonight?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re going to ruin your reputation if you keep this up.”

“Yes, tonight.” He placed a kiss over her right eyebrow.

She meant to say no, but it seemed to filter from her mind to her mouth wrong. “What time?”

“Six.”

She tried to get up then but he still held her close. They’d gone to bed naked, and her struggling only made it more obvious. Her legs spread to allow him to shift closer. He moved her in his arms until she was underneath him.

_Messages could wait._

It was an hour before Shepard sat on the kitchen counter in one of his t-shirts while he cooked breakfast for them both. She used her omni-tool to check to see if Traynor had sent over anything from the investigation into the explosion.

_Nothing._

“What are your plans for this morning?” Liam handed her a plate with bacon and eggs.

She set the plate on the counter and grabbed a slice of bacon. “Aside from finding my own damn clothes?”

“You look good in my shirts, Shepard.” He winked at her. “But better out of them. You should feel free to take that one off any time.”

“You are…” She grabbed another piece of bacon and hopped off the counter.

“Amazing? Brilliant? Utterly irresistible?” He offered helpfully.

Shepard wandered off without answering. She tossed his shirt to the side and pulled on her clothes from the night before. She ducked around him and headed out the door towards her apartment. Her front door looked like it had been forced open. 

_What the fuck?_

She pulled up her omni-tool to message Liam to bring his damn pistol. No way was she stepping into the apartment without a weapon of some sort. The Major arrived in minutes. He tossed his spare weapon to her. They cleared the apartment room by room. No intruders. It didn’t look like anything had been taken. But someone had destroyed her place. Every wall was smashed; every piece of furniture and artwork suffered some sort of damage.

_It was wrecked._

_Son-of-a-bitch._

“Bastards.” Shepard handed Liam his weapon so she didn’t give in to the urge to shoot something. Her temper was on the rise. “Can you grab the building manager for me? I need to get that damn door replaced.”

“You can’t stay here, love.” He commented before heading out to see about getting the door fixed.

There was no way in hell she was sleeping in his apartment. She had a perfectly good couch in her office, and what was safer than a building filled with Alliance marines? She changed into clean clothes then tossed a few necessities into her pack. With her bag packed, Shepard stepped back into the living room to find the door already being replaced. _Impressive. _

“The clean-up crew will show up tomorrow, and replace all the busted furniture. It’s going to take a few days though.” The building manager gave her an apologetic smile. “Major Coats tells me that you have somewhere to stay in the meantime, so I’ll be sure to message you when the repairs are finished.”

She muttered a thank you and headed out the door with bag in hand. The Major followed her into the elevator and frowned when she pressed the first floor button instead of the button for his floor. 

“Where do you think you’re going, love?” Liam tried to pull her back into the elevator but she ducked around his arm and headed out of her apartment building. “Shepard.”

“I’m going to stay in my office. It’s the securest building in the city.” She stepped through the doors outside to find that it was misting with rain.

_Fucking perfect. Damn it._

Trudging through the puddles, Shepard forgot that he was behind her until the rain on her head stopped. She glanced up to find an umbrella over her head. _Where the hell did he get an umbrella?_ His hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her closer to him, further underneath the shelter from the rain. 

“You’d rather sleep on a couch in your office than in my bed?”

“Yes. No.” Shepard tilted her head so she could look up at him. “I don’t think sleeping is what you have in mind.”

“Be reasonable, love.”

She ignored him and headed into the Alliance headquarters and straight for her office. “Go home, Liam.”

“See you this evening?” He followed her into her office.

“Yes.” Shepard pushed him out of the office. “I need to get some work done.”

Thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet him, Shepard received a vid-comm hail from Admiral Hackett. _Shit_. She was still talking to the Admiral an hour later. She sent a quick message to Liam to let him know that she wasn’t going to make it. It took her an additional hour to final wrap the conversation up with Hackett.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_20:11 S: Sorry to bail on you. Hackett is a hard man to hang up on._

_20:14 C: Rank tends to do that._

_20:15 S: I didn’t need a three hour comm to tell him that I didn’t know who the fuck blew my car up._

_20:16 C: You just finished with him??_

_20:17 S: Yes. Hence the bailing on you._

_20:19 C: Have you eaten?_

_20:21 S: You spend all your time either trying to feed me or fuck me. _

_20:23 C: Which f are you interested tonight, love?_

_20:24 S: Neither._

_20:25 C: Are you sure about that? _

_20:28 S: Good night, Liam._

_20:28 User has disconnected._

Shepard could not get comfortable. _Fucking couch._ She tried to sleep on her back, on her side and her other side. Her omni-tool beeped and she pulled it up to find a chat request from Coats that she ignored. Whatever he had to say could wait until it was daylight. She flopped on her back and glared up at the ceiling again. She’d slept on the fucking floor of a shuttle. Hell, she even slept in the damn Mako once. 

_Why the hell could she not get to sleep now?_

There was a tall, arrogant, green eyed reason that she couldn’t get to sleep.

_Damn it._

A quick glance at her omni-tool told her that it was after 0100. She’d be damned if she was going to wander over to his apartment at one in the morning after she’d been so damn insistent about not staying with him. She rolled on her side again with a sigh of frustration.

_This was fucking ridiculous. _

It was clearly the couch. It didn’t provide sufficient comfort to let her sleep. She refused to consider the possibility that the man in the bed might be the biggest reason for her tossing and turning. She turned on her back one more time and tried to count sheep in order to sleep. 

_Fucking sheep._

“I am not counting fucking sheep.” She muttered to herself before sitting up. 

In the moment that it took her to find her boots, Shepard decided to head over to Cortez’s place. He’d let her crash in his spare room since Vega had finally found a place of his own. Cortez lived a few blocks from her apartment. Her feet had other ideas. _Traitors_. She found herself standing outside Major Coats apartment fifteen minutes later. 

She pulled up her omni-tool.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_01:34 S: Answer your door._

_01:35 User has disconnected._

The door opened seconds later.

“I was going over to Cortez’s apartment. I’m not sure how I ended up here,” Shepard admitted.

“Please tell me that you didn’t walk all the way here when someone’s trying to kill you?” He stepped back to let her into the apartment.

Shepard didn’t hear a word that he said. He had apparently been in the shower because he had a towel around his waist and that was it. His hair still looked a little damp. 

_She really needed to go back to her damn office to sleep._

“I thought you weren’t interested in either of the f’s that I was offering.” His hands rested on the towel lightly. “Change your mind?”

“I…” She spun around and headed for the door.

Cortez’s apartment was a much better idea. She didn’t make it far. A firm hand grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. Her hand came to rest on his chest to keep a bit of distance between their bodies. If he’d been wearing a shirt, she could’ve resisted the urge to explore the muscular body in front of her. But he wasn’t…and she couldn’t.

_She’d work on developing self-control tomorrow. _

_Maybe._


	11. Chapter 11

“What are you doing here?” She glanced up from the report in her hand on Monday morning when Liam stepped into her office.

“Temporarily reassigned to your security detail.” He winked at her.

“And what are those two?” She motioned to Vega and Cortez who were trying to look….busy outside her office. She could see them through the open door.

“Comic relief?” He glanced over his shoulder at the two men. “I hear the footage came in from the rehab facility. Anything interesting?”

“See for yourself.” Shepard waved him over to watch the vid on her terminal. 

He leaned over her to get a better look, his hand resting on the back of her neck. “That armor looks familiar.”

“Eclipse.”

“Eclipse? What the hell are they doing blowing up your skycar?” Liam stepped back.

“Jona Sederis. If you ever get the opportunity to release a psychopath from jail, just say no.” Shepard sighed.

“You released Jona Sederis.” He shook his head.

“Don’t say it. I know it was a stupid idea. But at the time, it seemed like the best option.” She stood up from her chair and headed around the desk.

“Where are we going?” Liam followed her out of the office. He was joined by Cortez and Vega.

Shepard stopped in the hallway and laughed when the three men all but ran into each other. “Where the hell are you idiots going?”

“Security detail.” Vega reminded her.

“I’m just going to meet a…friend.” She frowned at them. “And I cannot have a fucking entourage.”

“We can be discrete,” Cortez remarked.

“Discrete?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “The three of you are about as discrete as Grunt after a few bottles of ryncol.”

“You’re not going anywhere without at least one of us.” Liam folded his arms and met her glare with one of his own.

“Fine. C’mon Vega.” Shepard reached past the Major to grab James by the arm and drag him away.

“So where are we going?” Vega asked once they stepped inside the elevator. 

“We?” Shepard asked with a grin.

She raised her hand and froze him in stasis inside the elevator. When it reached the ground floor, she stepped out after hitting the top floor button. By the time he unfroze, he’d be on the thirtieth floor of the Alliance Headquarters. 

“Where the bloody hell of you been?”

Shepard followed the gruff voice to the back of the dark pub when she finally found it. “Good to see you too, Massani. How’s retirement?”

“Boring.” He slid a glass of whiskey across the table to her when she sat across from him. “What can I do for you, Shepard?”

“Jona Sederis.”

“What about her?”

“Can you find her?” She took a swig of whiskey.

“Ahh.” He smirked at her. “I heard there’s an interesting bounty on your head.”

“Did you take it?” Shepard liked Massani. They’d even had a little fun when they’d been hunting the Collectors. But she’d shoot the bastard in a second if he tried anything.

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Not a bloody chance. Do you want me to find her or shoot her?”

“Find. I just want information. I’ll shoot the bitch myself.” Shepard drained the glass.

“Stick around, Shepard. It’s been a long time.” Zaeed reached out for her hand but she moved it away from him.

“Not a chance, Massani. Not a fucking chance.” She threw one of the ice cubes from her glass at him. “This is _not_ one of those visits.”

“Pity,” he shrugged. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

Shepard thanked him and headed out of the bar. It wouldn’t take long for the three idiots to track her across the city. A little space between herself and Zaeed would be a smart move. She was a few blocks from her office when she heard a thud to the left and saw a spray of dust from a brick on a wall. _The fuck._ Then a second one hit to her right. 

_Shit. _

_Sniper._

She started to dodge to the left behind one of the buildings when the third shot caught her in the left side. _Oh the fucking burn of a bullet wound. _Her hand pressed against herself to staunch the blood flow. Her fucking _security detail_ was never going to let her forget this. Next fucking time, she was wearing her goddamn armor when she went out. 

A hand reached out to grab her arm and yank her into the alley-way. She looked up into angry green eyes. 

“Hi.”

“Were you hit?” Liam ignored her greeting.

“Which answer will piss you off the least?” She grinned while trying to keep his attention away from her side.

“Shepard.”

“Possibly.”

“Possibly?” He looked her over quickly until he spotted her side. He applied medi-gel to the wound. “How’d the meeting go with your _friend?”_

“Spectacular.” She looked at the now healing wound. The shot had thankfully just grazed her. She’d have a nifty new scar and it would be sore for a few days. But it wasn’t serious.

“Until we figure out what the hell is going on, you are not going anywhere alone.” Liam glared at her.

“The hell I’m not.” She pushed him back. “I am fully capable of taking care of myself.”

“Did I say you couldn’t? That’s not the fucking point.” He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her towards the Alliance building nearby. “Who the hell was the man that you met?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Zaeed Massani. He’s…well…he’s a good source of information but he’s easier to talk to when I’m not surrounded by men in blue.”

“And you couldn’t just tell me that why?” He continued guiding her through the building towards the Med Bay. “You will sit and let the doctor check you out. And then we are going to talk about this damn security detail.”

“Anything else?” She glared at him while he lifted her up on the bed inside the Med Bay.

He leaned down until she could feel his breath on her ear before he answered. “Until we stop Sederis, you are sleeping in my goddamn bed.”

“Couch.”

“Bed,” he reiterated. “You know you’ll end up there anyway.”

“You are a cocky fucking bastard.” She placed her hand over his face and pushed him away from her just as the doctor-on-call stepped into the room.

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Major Shepard_

_Subj: Security Detail_

_Until the threat from Jona Sederis and the Eclipse is handled, you will follow Major Coats’ recommendations for your security._

_Is that understood?_

_Hackett_

Fuming was an accurate description for her current mood as she followed Liam into his apartment a few hours later. She ignored him through dinner and pointedly refused to admit that she’d rather stay with him than Cortez. 

“Are you going to pout all evening, love?” He asked an hour later. 

Shepard snapped almost immediately. She surged up from couch where she’d been reading through emails from Liara. With her hand on the center of his chest, she shoved him up against the bookcase behind him with her good arm. It was hard to stare down someone taller than her, but she did it anyway.

“You…” She didn’t get a second word out in the rant that she prepared because he covered her mouth with his hand.

“I’ve carried your lifeless body once; I’m not fucking doing it again if I can help it.” He kept his hand firmly over her lips. “So you will stop fighting this security detail, I’m not trying to smother you or force you to hide. Just don’t be a damn fool either.”

She glared up at him but her attempt to argue was muffled against his hand.

“I’m not finished.” Liam let one of his fingers caress her cheek. “You in my bed, love? That’s not about a notch on by bedpost, or the flavor of whatever the hell it was that you said. You fucking fascinate me. You’ve been the woman out of reach for so long that now that I have the chance, I’m not letting it pass me by. If you aren’t interested in something more than a few nights of hot sex, that’s fine, but I’m hoping that you are interested in more.”

Shepard struggled for words when his hand finally fell away from her mouth. “So…we’re not about to have angry sex?”

“Is that all you have to say?” He chuckled before brushing his knuckles against her cheek.

“Yes.” She reached her arm up to touch him but winced when it pulled on the still healing injury on her side.

“Yes?”

“I’m interested in more than just sex, but the sex is good too.” She stepped back away from him.

“Is it, love?” His fingers gripped the hem of her shirt and drew her back against his body gently.

Shepard was about to respond when her omni-tool beeped with vid-comm. She pulled it up to find Massani. _Shit. _“Zaeed? What’s up?”

“Who the bloody hell is that?” He could apparently see Liam behind her.

“My….he’s…the fucking reason that we aren’t…oh it’s none of your fucking business.” Shepard turned around so Liam was out of view. “What do you want Massani?”

“I got a lead on Sederis. I’m sending the information to you. I got another offer to take you out. I shot the bastard in the head.” Zaeed chuckled.

“Thanks.”

“So you sure you don’t want to….”

“I am not goddamn interested. I’ve got all of the arrogant bastard in my life that I need, thanks.” Shepard disconnected the connection before he could say anything further. She looked up to Liam watching her carefully. “I…”

“You’ve ‘got all of the arrogant bastard’ that you need?” Liam followed her when moved back over to the couch to sit down.

“You take up all my damn time.” Shepard lay on her back on the couch. Her side was starting to hurt again. “I’m in pain. Leave me alone.”

“Let’s get you somewhere a little more comfortable then.” He lifted her up off the couch and carried her into the bedroom. He helped her undress then ease under the covers.

“Liam?”

“Shepard?”

“I like waking up in your arms.” She grinned at him before closing her eyes.   
  



	12. Chapter 12

With the information from Massani and from the Shadow Broker, Liam left Shepard with Vega and Cortez to track down a lead. Her side hadn’t healed enough for her to go with him. It pissed her off but her arguments weren’t very convincing. It was how she ended up drinking shots of tequila while watching a biotiball game with Vega and Cortez at Cortez’s apartment the following evening.

“’s bullshit.” Shepard felt strongly about something, she just couldn’t remember what.

“Bullshit.” Vega greed while Cortez poured another round of shots.

_What the hell had she been talking about._

_The Reapers._

_Oh yea._

“Total bullshit. Giant sea creatures create AIs who turn into AI giant sea creatures that kill everything that’s semi-intelligent. ‘xplains why they left James alone.” She grinned at him before tossing back another shot. “Killed those fucking bastards dead.”

“And with style.” Cortez refilled the empty glasses again.

“Of course, I had Vega with me.” She laughed.

Vega saluted her with his glass. “Got that right, Lola.”

They emptied the second bottle of tequila before the game was over. Shepard stumbled towards the guest room to crash, literally and figuratively. Drunk messaging at two in the morning was a terrible idea. She tried to remind herself of that as she lay in bed. 

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_02:21 S: Hi._

_02:24 S: Hi._

_02:29 S: Hi._

_02:32 C: Hi? Why are you up at two in the morning? _

_02:33 S: Why are you up at two in the whatever you said?_

_02:34 C: You messaged me?_

_02:35 S: James brought tq…tequi…booze._

_02:36 C: Ahh. And how much booze have you had, love?_

_02:38 S: uh. Lots._

_02:39 C: They are supposed to be your security detail, not drinking buddies._

_02:41 S: Major Buzz-kill._

_02:42 S: Vega snores._

_02:43 C: How do you know that?_

_02:44 S: He’s sleeping on the floor in the hallway. I think he tried to make it to the bathroom. He failed._

_02:45 C: How much fucking tequila did you three drink?_

_02:46 S: All of it._

_02:47 C: And how much is all of it?_

_02:48 S: If I could walk, I’d count the bottles...not sure I can count at the moment._

_02:48 S: How many fingers am I holding up?_

_02:49 C: I can’t see you._

_02:50 S: Oh yea. They’re blurry anyway._

_02:51 C: Blurry?_

_02:52 S: My fingers._

_02:54 C: Maybe you should try to sleep? You’re going to have a hell of a hang-over in the morning._

_02:55 C: And don’t you have a meeting with Admiral Hackett tomorrow?_

_02:59 S: Shit. Forgot. _

_03:01 C: You forgot?_

_03:02 S: What part of forget do you not understand? Have you been drinking?_

_03:04 C: Funny._

_03:05 S: I am so screwed. _

_03:06 C: Why?_

_03:07 S: The meeting is at 0700, I am not going to be sober in four hours._

_03:08 C: Exactly how much tequila did you drink?_

_03:09 S: Why do you keep asking the same question? It was a lot of tiny glasses. Passing out now._

_03:10 User has disconnected._

The piercing shriek of an alarm jolted Shepard out of bed. Her omni-tool informed her that it was 0600. The pounding in her head told her that she was hung-over…possibly still a little drunk. She stumbled into the shower to see if it would help. It didn’t. Neither did the three cups of coffee that she drank. Cortez and Vega looked as hard up as she was.

Vega leaned heavily on the counter. “Think Hackett will mind if we all call in sick?”

“Do you plan on living to see tomorrow?” Shepard stared blankly into the now empty mug.

Cortez glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Shit. We’re late.”

They ended up being over thirty minutes late. Shepard found Hackett pacing in front of Traynor’s desk. She hoped the shower, coffee and an attempt to eat breakfast had not only sobered her up but greatly reduced the smell of tequila. Vega and Cortez had bailed on her the minute they got to the safety of the Alliance buildings.

_Cowards._

“Admiral.” Shepard decided to save Traynor from Hackett’s annoyed pacing.

“Major. Where the hell have you been?” Hackett followed her into her office. 

She took a seat behind her desk and decided to leave her sunglasses on. “Sorry, sir. We…uhm…were delayed.”

“Delayed?”

“You wanted to meet with me?” She tried to guide him to safer subjects.

“Major Coats was able to track down the Eclipse base…it’s been moved apparently. He’s on his way back. We need a better way to track Sederis down.” Hackett frowned at her. “Is there a reason why you’re wearing those glasses inside?”

“’s very bright in here, sir.” Shepard had a feeling the morning was not going to go well.

“Are you hung-over, Shepard?” He reached out to pull the glasses from her. “Or still drunk?”

“What?” She blinked at the bright light for a moment. “I’m…fine, Admiral.”

He set the glasses carefully on the desk before focusing his attention on her. “You’ve got an entire merc gang after you. The head of that group has put a bounty on your head. Your car was blown up, and your house ransacked. And you were shot.”

“Must be Tuesday,” she muttered.

Hackett’s response was interrupted by Traynor stepping into the office. “Yes?”

“Excuse me, Admiral. Major? You’ve got an incoming hail from Jona Sederis.” Traynor pointed towards the vid-comm.

Shepard nodded to Traynor. “See if you can put a trace on where the hell she’s at.”

“Will do.” Traynor stepped back out of the room.

Shepard stood up and headed over to the comm. She paused to push Hackett out of the way so that he wouldn’t be visible. She held up a hand when he started to argue. 

“Commander Shepard, or should I say, Major Shepard.” Jona appeared after a moment on the vid.

“Sederis. What the hell do you want?” Shepard was just not in the mood for the psychopath’s games.

“You shouldn’t let a beautiful man like Major Coats do your dirty work for you, Shepard.” Jona smirked at her. “It’s beneath you really. And don’t worry, I haven’t touched a hair on his head.”

Shepard clenched her fists at her side. She was so angry that her biotics flared, her arms covered in blue. “Bring it on, bitch. You’re going to regret not fading away like I told you to after I released you.”

“Oh I do so look forward to seeing you bleed.” The bitch disappeared before Shepard could respond.

“Shepard?” Hackett glanced at her in concern.

She had a splitting headache from the hang-over combined with rage if she didn’t calm down she was going to hurt someone. “I need to walk.”

“I’ll go with…” He trailed off when she all but snarled at him to stay put.

Shepard stormed into the courtyard at the back of the Alliance building. She walked the circuit for a good two hours. She didn’t like cowards who hid behind their soldiers and who made veiled threats. Liam could take care of himself, but it still pissed her off. 

She was tired of hiding behind Vega and Cortez and Liam. She didn’t believe in hiding. This bullshit needed to end. Her biotics flared up again and she slammed her fist into a nearby picnic table snapping it in half. She pulled up her omni-tool to send off a quick request.

“Shepard? What the bloody hell do you want now?” Zaeed was such a grumpy fucker.

“Jona Sederis.”

“I don’t have any more information than I did the last time,” he remarked.

“But you can find it…with a little help from our dear friend, the Shadow Broker.” Shepard grinned. “I’m going hunting, want to join me?”

“Now you’re talking my language.” He was silent for a moment. “You bringing the big, bad bodyguard with you?”

“How the…” She ignored him when he chuckled. “Maybe. We’ll see. How soon can you be in London?”

“Give me a day. I’ll contact T’soni to see what she can find out.” Zaeed disconnected the call.

“Planning on taking a trip, love?”

Shepard glanced over her shoulder to find Liam checking out the damage to the table. “When did you get back?”

“You didn’t answer my question.” He stepped around the debris towards her.

“You didn’t answer mine.” Shepard rolled her eyes. “I wonder if I can con Hackett into letting me have the _Normandy_ for a few days.”

“Probably not.”

She rubbed her temples, the damn migraine needed to go the hell away so she could think. “I’m not going to wait around for her to try to kill me again. I’m going to kill the fucking bitch.”

“And you need Massani for this why?” Liam pushed her hands away and gently massaged her head for her.

“If you want to catch a merc, you use a merc.” Shepard had no intention of changing her mind. “And Massani? He’s the best.”

“And you’d trust him with your damn life?” Liam did not appear to be convinced.

“To a point.”

“That’s not reassuring, love.” His fingers were doing wonders for her headache.

“I do believe there are regs about this.” Hackett interrupted their conversation.

_Shit._


	13. Chapter 13

Admiral Hackett had been very quiet on the walk back to Shepard’s office. He led the way, so he missed the hand that _Major Coats _had placed on _Major Shepard’s_ back. She was not looking forward to being stuck in her office with the two men.

“Do we _need_ to talk about this?” Hackett pointed between the two of them once they were inside and the door had closed.

“And by this you mean?” Shepard felt her migraine starting to come back.

“When I asked you to keep an eye on Shepard, I didn’t mean for you to literally put your hands on her, Major Coats.” Hackett turned his attention to Liam. “There are regs for a reason.”

“Mostly to be broken,” Shepard grinned.

“No more tequila for you, ever. “ Liam chuckled.

“I’m hung-over, not drunk at the moment.” She rolled her eyes before turning back to the Admiral. "I destroyed the reapers, with help, but I led the damn charge. You used me as the tip of the spear."

"I make no apologies for it," Hackett shrugged.

"I've never asked the Admiralty for a damn thing. I sat in the brig without complaint for six months while my career and reputation were dragged through the mud. And when the reapers came, I didn't hesitate, I jumped in the front lines to save the very people who were calling me a traitor days before." She waved off the restraining hand that Liam placed on her arm.

"True." Hackett seemed unsure of where she was going with her argument.

She pointed back at Liam. "So now I'm asking for something...for him...for us...whatever. Even if the Alliance as a whole doesn't owe me, you sure as hell do. I took the hit from Aratoht for you."

"Shepard."

"No." She cut the Admiral off. "I won't be lectured to about this relationship. Not after Elysium, the geth, the collectors, the reapers, at some fucking point, I deserve..."

"_Major_ Shepard, enough." It was Hackett's laughter that caught her attention. "You've made your point. Consider the matter closed, and go with my blessing."

"Oh." She scratched her jaw for a moment. "Can I borrow the _Normandy_ to find Jona Sederis?"

Hackett raised an eyebrow. “Borrow the _Normandy?”_

“She’s the fastest ship in the Alliance.” Shepard pointed out. “And I know the crew.”

“Bring the _Normandy_ back in one piece, Shepard.” Hackett acknowledged their salutes before striding out of the room.

When the door closed, Shepard turned back around to find Liam watching her. She decided to ignore the twinkle in his eyes and take a seat in her chair. The terminal told her that it was about lunch-time. The throbbing in her head told her that the fucking hang-over had not abated yet.

“So me and the _Normandy?_” Liam moved around to sit on the desk in front of her. He reached out to resume massaging her head.

“I have my priorities.” She chose to focus on the slowly receding headache. “You are so much more effective than aspirin.”

“I want to be very clear about something, love.” His hands fell away from her head.

“What’s that?” She looked up at him expectantly.

He pulled her to her feet and then over between his legs. “I’m not going to let you go.”

“Ever? Cause I’ll need to use the head occasionally.” She grinned at him.

“You can’t make a grand speech like you did to Hackett and expect me not to assume that I’ll be waking up with you in my arms from now on.” His fingers hooked in her belt loops and tugged her tightly against him.

“You’re going to be even more insufferably arrogant now, aren’t you?” She sighed dramatically.

“So are you two finally going steady officially now?” Cortez stepped into the room.

“Is there something you needed?” Shepard peered around Liam to see her drinking buddy.

“The _Normandy’s _at port, Vega and I are going to make sure that it’s ready.” Cortez winked at her then backed out of the room. “Oh, Traynor said to tell you that Massani’s on his way to the ship.”

Shepard leaned her forehead against the top of Liam’s shoulder. “Fuck.”

Zaeed was waiting for them a few hours later when they finally made it to the docking bay. Shepard walked past Massani into the ship. She saw his hand move out of the corner of her eye. The ass-grab that she anticipated never came. She turned around to find Zaeed up against the wall. Liam had the merc’s arm twisted painfully behind his back.

“Try it again, old man, and I will break it off. Understood?” Liam applied a little additional pressure.

“A little help, Shepard? Call your bloody bulldog off.” Zaeed turned his head towards her.

Shepard just grinned at him.

“Thanks for the help. Next time I’ll just take the goddamn bounty and shoot you.” Zaeed glared at her.

“Liar.” She decided to let them work it out and headed towards the bridge to talk Joker. Liam joined her a moment later. “Get everything sorted out?”

“Hey EDI, did we get vid of that?” Joker asked.

“Joker.” Shepard gave him a warning look.

“Nevermind.” Joker rolled his eyes. “So where are we going?”

“Illium.” She stood up to head to her quarters. “Let me know when we get there.”

Liam followed her away from the bridge and into the elevator. He didn’t appear to have any bruises on him anywhere, so either Massani was dead or they’d figured it the fuck out. She’d have to ask EDI to send _her_ the footage at some point.

The first deck hadn’t changed much since Hackett took over. The fish were still there, the ship models were still there. Her little hamster was the only thing missing. She was reaching up to adjust the model of the Kodiak when a hard body pressed up against hers.

“Can I help you?” She glanced back at him over her shoulder.

“Just engaging in an _officially_ sanctioned activity.” He slid his hands under her shirt.


	14. Chapter 14

Shepard finished going over the inventory with Cortez in the shuttle bay. They’d picked up supplies before leaving Earth. Then she headed to the crew deck to meet with Liara who had met them on the Citadel to go over their plans for once they arrived on Illium. The Shadow Broker was a handy friend to have at times like this. Between her contacts and Zaeed’s, they’d managed to confirm that Sederis was feeling relatively safe at the Eclipse. She stepped back into the elevator only to find Massani waiting for her.

“We need to talk.” He was leaning back against the railing.

She waited for the doors to close before hitting the emergency stop. “Talk.”

“Are you serious about the bulldog?”

Shepard raised an eyebrow at him. “You know his name.”

“Answer the goddamn question.” He moved away from the railing.

“Yes, I am serious about him. What’s it to you?” She wasn’t going to be intimated by him.

“Are you sure about him?” Zaeed moved a little closer.

“Touch me, Massani, and it’s not Liam that you’ll have to worry about,” Shepard warned. “And yes, I’m fucking sure about him.”

“You liked it the last time.” He brushed his fingers along her neck.

“You’ve got one chance to back up before I back you up.” She knew her hands were probably glowing blue.

Major Coats stood waiting in front of the elevator. He’d been waiting for the damn thing for five minutes. He glanced over at Traynor who just shrugged. He couldn’t get a word out of EDI either. She just said it was on its way up from the engineering deck. Another five minutes passed before the doors finally opened. Shepard stormed out. He glanced down to find Massani hunched over on the floor with a busted lip and black eye.

“Do. Not. Say. A. Fucking. Word.” She covered Liam’s mouth before he could say anything.

He raised his hands up and stepped back out of her way. Shepard spared one last glare down at the man on the floor of the elevator before walking towards the War Room as quickly as she could manage. Liam smirked down at the merc for a moment. He caught up with Shepard as she passed the conference room. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her into the alcove just before the War Room.

“Is there a reason that Massani is on the elevator floor, love?” Liam intended to have a little chat with the man later.

“He’s an arrogant bastard.” Shepard crossed her arms and glared up at him.

“What are you glaring at me for?” He reached out to uncross her arms then slid them around his waist. He pressed her up against the wall.

“You’re an arrogant bastard.”

“True,” he nodded. “But I’m a sexy, well-endowed arrogant bastard.”

Shepard tried to hold the glare but he watched the laughter build up until her shoulders were shaking. “You are exhausting.”

He smirked at her. “Am I wearing you out?”

“That is not what I was referring to.” She smacked him on the arm.

He shifted his hand to her ass to lift her up against him. “Is that a challenge, love?”

“I am not having sex in the middle of the fucking war room, Liam.” She glared at him.

“Afraid?”

“I have no interest in adding to Joker’s vid collection.” She grinned before pushing him away. “I’ve dropped one bastard on the ground today; don’t tempt me to make it a second.”

“Why was Massani on the ground?” Liam followed her towards the comm room.

“He pissed me off.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I’m not discussing it further.”

Liam left Shepard to speak with Admiral Hackett and headed up to the bridge to see if Joker had a vid of what happened in the elevator. _He did. _Once he’d seen what happened, Coats headed down to the room that Massani was currently calling home. He stepped inside to find the merc leaning back against the wall.

“What the bloody hell do you want?” Zaeed didn’t appear happy to see him.

“If you can’t keep your hands off of Shepard, I suggest that you get the fuck off of this ship.” Liam strode over towards him. He slammed his fist into Massani’s side, catching him completely off-guard. “Touch her again, and I’ll escort you out of the airlock myself.”

Shepard was waiting in the elevator when Liam stepped inside several minutes later. “Was that really necessary?”

“No idea what you’re talking about, love,” he shrugged. He hit the button for the first deck. “So you’re serious about me.”

“Oh shut the hell up.” She reached out to grab him by the collar and dragged him down into a kiss.


	15. Chapter 15

The last time that Shepard had been involved in a skycar chase over Illium, she’d been the one driving and Vasir had crashed on Azure. Her first mistake when they hopped in the cab to chase after Sederis had been to let Vega drive. The second mistake had been to let Vega drive.

Shepard and Liara hung on for dear life while he darted in and out of oncoming traffic. Mid-air collisions were never fun. She reminded Vega of this about three seconds before he clipped a truck and their vehicle careened towards the landing pad of a nearby building.

_Son-of-a-bitch._

The crashed knocked Shepard unconscious for a moment. When she came to, Vega was dragging her out of the destroyed cab. He pulled her to safety then rushed back over to get Liara out as well. When she actually felt like she could move, she fully intended to push James off the damn roof.

“Vega, you are _never_ flying a vehicle that I am in, _ever_ again.” She laid on her back with her eyes closed and tried to figure out if her ribs were just bruised her broken. She heard a shuttle land nearby.

“Sorry, Lola.” Vega collapsed on the edge of a nearby wall to catch his breath.

Shepard ignored him and the sound of boots rushing towards her. She focused instead on testing out her limbs to see if anything was broken. If she had to spend a second in another rehab, it might just be the death of James. No bones appeared to be broken. Her hands trembled a little while she pulled her battered visor off her head. She beamed it in the general direction of Vega.

_Shitty-ass Driver._

“Are you hurt?” Liam knelt beside her.

“No, but I do hurt.” She let him help her sit up. “Nothing is broken, though James might not be so lucky when I’m done with him.”

“We’re getting you back to the _Normandy. _The doc needs to make sure that all three of you are ok.” Coats was clearly not open to discussion. He carried her to the waiting shuttle. “Massani’s managed to keep up with Sederis.”

“Oh good, then the day wasn’t a complete fucking waste.” Shepard winced when he settled her down in a seat.

Zaeed had apparently gotten the message about not touching Shepard. He’d directed his attention entirely on finding Sederis, and one of the cute ensigns that guarded the entrance to the War Room. If he was on Jona’s tail, Shepard felt better about heading to the Med Bay.

“I don’t recommend car crashes.” Shepard grumbled while the doc checked her over. 

Like she thought, there was no serious damage. Shepard limped over to the elevator to head up to her quarters. Liam darted inside just as the doors were closing. He hit the button for the first deck. He looked over at her expectantly.

“I’m too sore and tired to acknowledge your magnificent presence.” She moved slowly into her room while carefully removing her armor which looking at the damage, she was going to have to replace.

“Magnificent?” He smirked at her.

Shepard didn’t get a chance to respond, EDI interrupted to let her know that Massani was back. And he had apparently brought gifts.

“Well, fuck, I didn’t get you anything.” Shepard grinned when she reached the bridge to find Zaeed holding a struggling Jona Sederis.

“We tossing the bitch in the brig?” Zaeed asked.

“EDI, please turn off the comms and security cameras.” Shepard waited for her confirmation before turning back towards Massani. “Let her go.”

“The hell?” Zaeed frowned at her, while Liam exclaimed, “have your lost your damn mind?”

“Do it.” Shepard grabbed the pistol from her side and motioned to him again.

The moment he released her, Sederis started to run for the airlock, Shepard raised the pistol and shot the bitch in the back of the head. She crumpled to the floor instantly.

“Zaeed, see if you can’t get a message to Eclipse that they’d be better off leaving me the fuck alone.” Shepard glanced down at the dead body. “And Massani, thanks.”

He smirked at her but didn’t say a word. He just bent down to grab the body and drag it off the ship. Shepard turned to head to the elevator and her quarters again.

“You alright, love?” Liam asked when she eased down on the bed.

“Think Alliance insurance covers stupid-ass marines who can’t fly?” Shepard shook her head with a sigh. “At least it wasn’t the Kodiak, Hackett can’t yell at me for _damaging_ the ship. Might yell if I damage Vega though.”

“Shepard.” He sat next to her. “Did you really need to shoot her on the ship?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.” She leaned back on the bed with a groan. “I’ve gone temporarily deaf.”

“Admiral Hackett will have questions.”

“And by the time I get back to Earth, I’ll have come up with some brilliant answers.” Shepard closed her eyes and tried to find a position on the bed that didn’t hurt. 

“I thought you’d gone deaf.” He lay beside her.

“Selective hearing loss.” She grinned.


	16. Chapter 16

By the time that they got back to London, Shepard’s apartment had been completely fixed. She went there in spite of Liam’s attempts to drag her up to his place. She was sitting on her balcony when he strolled into her apartment an hour or so later.

“I thought they changed the security code so no one could walk the fuck in on me.” She grabbed one of the beers in his hand.

He just shrugged at her.

_Cocky bastard._

An idea had been brewing in her mind for a few days; she set the beer on the floor and walked into her living room. Liam followed as she moved into her bedroom. He started towards her but she froze him mid-step.

“How very tingly.” He smirked at her.

“Too bad I can’t freeze your damn mouth,” Shepard laughed.

She reached down to grab the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Her cargo pants were next until she stood in just a bra and panties. With him still stationary, she tugged his shirt over his head.

“You planning on letting me go at some point, love?” Liam’s breath hitched when she moved her fingers down to the top of his jeans.

“Maybe. I think a complete testing of my biotics is wise.” She grinned.

With a flick of her hand, she lifted him up off the ground. It gave her better access to removing his pants and shoes. It gave her _better access to other things_ as well. The stasis failed at the most inopportune moment possible and Shepard ended up on her back with a heavy, muscled-wall for a man crushing her.

“Is the test over, love?” He chuckled before rolling off of her.

“Shut up.” Shepard rubbed the back of her head. “God you’re like a fucking brick wall.”

“Did you get a little distracted?” His fingers trailed from her ankle up the inside of her leg.

“Must’ve been all the manly magnificence.” She motioned in his general direction.

An hour later, Liam headed up to his apartment. Shepard was about to knock on his door a few minutes later when she heard a very _feminine_ laugh coming from his apartment. She couldn’t make out what they were saying.

_The fuck_.

It didn’t take her long to walk the three blocks to where Steve lived. Shepard slammed her fist into Cortez’s front door repeatedly until he finally opened the door. He stared at her in surprise. “Tequila. Now.”

“Uhm, I’ll just message James.” Cortez took one look at her and decided not to argue. He let her inside and then sent a quick message to Vega. “Are you ok, Commander?”

“Aside from a sudden desire to kill every member of the male species? I’m perfectly fucking fine.” Shepard glared at him.

“I’ll just go see if I can find some alcohol until James gets here.” Cortez disappeared into the kitchen. 

Two hours later, they were on the third or fourth bottle of tequila. And Shepard was crawling into Cortez’s spare bedroom to drunken text Liam because it seemed like a brilliant plan of action.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Major Asshat_

_01:06 S: I am not talking to you_

_01:09 C: Where are you?_

_01:10 S: London._

_01:12 C: You seem to be talking to me._

_01:14 S: Seman…sem…details._

_01:16 C: So how much tequila did Vega bring this time?_

_01:19 S: Many tiny glasses worth._

_01:20 C: Is there a reason that you aren’t home?_

_01:22 S: I was outside. I heard you._

_01:23 C: Heard me what?_

_01:24 S: Always with the fucking giggling. Damn giggling. I hate it. _

_01:25 C: What the hell are you talking about?_

_01:26 S: I heard the woman that you were with._

_01:28 C: Woman? What….oh…you mean Traynor? She came over to drop a report off._

_01:30 S: Traynor…shit._

_01:33 C: Who did you think you heard?_

_01:34 S: I need to go now._

_01:34 C: Hang on a minute, love. _

_01:35 S: What?_

_01:36 C: Where are you?_

_01:37 S: Cortez’s apartment. _

_01:38 S: I don’t feel so good._

_01:39 User has disconnected._

Shepard dozed on the guest room bed for about an hour before she heard the door open. She watched a figure step into the room and move towards the bed. Liam sat on the edge of the bed and reached over to turn on the bedside lamp.

“The light…it burns.” Shepard pulled a pillow over her head.

“Why didn’t you come inside when you got home earlier?” He lifted the pillow away and set it aside.

She shrugged and rolled on her side to avoid his gaze and the damn light.

“Talk to me, love.” His hand pushed on her shoulder until she shifted over on her back once more.

“S’not fair.”

“What isn’t fair?”

“Inter...interg…asking questions when I’m inebriated.” She glared at him.

“You can say inebriated but not interrogated?” He smirked .

“S’not funny.” She thought for a moment. “’k, it is funny.”

“What happened this evening?” Liam brushed the hair out of her eyes.

“I heard giggling.” She closed her eyes to avoid him. She didn’t want to talk about this, especially when she was drunk and not thinking straight. “The nurses always giggled.”

“Ahh.”

“Don’t ahh me, Tali insists that’s what Vorcha’s sound like.” Shepard grumbled at him.

“Shepard.”

She chose to ignore him.

His finger tapped on her eyebrow. “Look at me for a moment, please, love?”

“Yes?” She opened her eyes. _Damn the light really was bright._

“The nurses at the hospital? I went on one date the entire time. It was just harmless flirting. The world just wouldn't be right without Commander Fucking Shepard, well Major now.” Liam continued to run his fingers through her hair. “I wanted you to focus on recovery, so I flirted with all the other women.”

“I don’t…”

“There’s a reason that I didn’t want to leave the debris field until I’d found you, whether that meant alive or dead.” He touched a finger to one of the scars just along her collarbone left over from the war. “So you never have to fucking worry about giggling nurses. But I do understand why you were.”

“I’m a little wasted at the moment.” Shepard reached up to touch her fingers to his lips. “So in the morning, I’m going to pretend I don’t remember this, but I think I’m in love with you.”

“Think, love?”

Shepard didn’t respond because she’d already started snoring. When she woke up eight hours later, Shepard found her face resting against a very muscular chest. Her arm was draped across his abdomen and her leg intertwined with his. 

_When the hell had Liam come over to Cortez’s house?_

_Oh fuck._

_What the hell had she said last night? _

_Oh god. _

The hand moving slowly along her back told her that he was awake. She needed a plan of action and she needed one now. The pounding that was starting in her skull wasn’t helping her think. She remembered quite distinctly telling Liam that she was in love with him. 

_Shit._

She moved over on her back with a groan. Aspirin. Water. And space. Those were the three things that she wanted at the moment. Liam shifted on his side; his arm tugged her back against him. His lips rested against her ear.

“Morning, love.”

She lifted her hand to cover his mouth. “I will give you all of the credits to be very, very, very quiet.”

“All?” He muttered against her palm.

“I am going to find aspirin.” She tried to get up but his arm held her down.

“What do you remember about last night?” His fingers moved under the hem of her tank-top.

“Tequila.”

“Aside from tequila.”

“More tequila.” She grimaced.

“Do you remember our conversation?” Liam shifted his fingers further under her shirt.

“I…” She started up off the bed again. “I need to go find something.”

His thumb began teasing the underside of her breast. “So you can’t remember any of what we talked about?”

She really wanted to get the hell out of the room and away from the conversation, but his hand was very persuasive. “I remember bits and pieces.”

“Mhmm.” His tongue teased her ear for a moment. “Which bits and pieces, love?”

“That is very distracting. “ She muttered when the hand on her breast slid back down her stomach. “We talked about nurses.”

“And what else?” His fingers began unbuttoning her jeans.

“There was more?” She cleared her throat a few times when his hand slid into her into her pants.

“Yes, there was actually a lot more to the conversation.” He paused with his hand tantalizingly close. She raised her hips up but he moved his fingers away. _ Cheating bastard_. “Anything coming back to you now?”

“Damn you.” She glared at the smirk on his face. “I might have mentioned that I…”

“Yes? Mentioned what, love?” His fingers dipped a little lower again.

Shepard covered her face with her arm before muttering, “I think I’m starting to fall in love with you.”

“Very good.”

“Cocky goddamn bastard.”


	17. Chapter 17

“Where is Major Shepard?” Major Coats asked Traynor after peering into her empty office.

“The Citadel.”

The Citadel?” He hadn’t seen Shepard since they’d left Cortez’s apartment the day before. “Why?

“Admiral Hackett ordered her to attend the inter-species conference. She’ll be on the Citadel for a week or so, then she has to go to Tuchanka. The Krogan are wanting to discuss further expansion. The Major has a good relationship with Urdnot Wrex so she’s the best one to negotiate with him. And I believe after that she has to head to Rannoch.” Traynor handed him a datapad with Shepard’s itinerary.

“A month? She’s not due back for a month?” Liam frowned at the dates listed. “When the hell did she find out about this?”

“This morning.” Traynor seemed suddenly uneasy. “She was surprised this morning when the Admiral contacted her. She didn’t have a lot of time to get ready for the conference.”

Her explanation fell on deaf ears as Liam was already heading away. He needed to talk to Shepard, now and not in a damn month. 

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Coats_

_To: Shepard_

_17:11 C: How’s the Citadel?_

_17:16 S: Exhausting. Diplomacy is a bitch. And…I’m not very good at it. I might shoot someone at some point, just to satisfy the urge._

_17:17 C: Are you avoiding me, love?_

_17:29 S: No._

_17:31 C: Very convincing._

_17:33 S: I have to go to meet Hackett and the council for dinner._

_17:34 User has disconnected._

Shepard made her way back to her apartment in Tiberius Towers after dinner a few hours later. She found a familiar figure in jeans and a dark green t-shirt standing by her door. She ducked under his outstretched arms to step inside her apartment.

"I wasn't avoiding you." She decided a preemptive strike was required. "I was..."

"Yes?"

"Busy. Very...busy." She wandered upstairs towards the hot tub with Liam close behind.

"Too busy to tell me that you'd be gone for a damn month?" He sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

Shepard crouched down to start the hot tub before turning to face him. "I was going to let you know."

"Right."

"I'm..."

"Why don't you just admit that the idea of falling in love is terrifying?" Liam asked.

Shepard opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. She decided to try again. "Bastard. It's not like you said any-fucking-thing in...shit."

"Come here, love." Liam beckoned her over with one hand.

She ignored him to focus instead on getting undressed and into the hot tub. A few minutes later, he joined her. He moved through the water to pin her up against the side of the tub.

"I've been in love with you since I watched you face a fucking reaper on foot like it was nothing. And you were armed with a fucking pistol. Insane, but amazing." Liam's intense gaze pierced into her. "So stop worrying. The feelings, love, they are most definitely mutual."

“Oh.”

His hand moved from the edge of the tub to rest on her shoulder. He leaned in to brush a kiss against her neck while his other hand slid down into the water. His right knee pressed between her legs to separate them to give his hand easier access. Shepard gripped his shoulders to keep from going under the water when his fingers began to glide into her.

“No more worrying, love.” He whispered into her ear. “And no more nights alone, I missed you. I’m taking a short leave of absence, about a month. Think I can bunk with you? Or would you rather be alone?”

“I…” Her ability to speak or think even disappeared for a moment when he removed his fingers to press himself into her. She raised herself up against him to wrap her legs around him. “Alone is definitely…over-rated.”


	18. Chapter 18

Shepard sat at a table on the Presidium watching the skycars go by. The conference was almost finished. She’d also managed not to shoot anyone so far. It was a massive accomplishment. Admiral Hackett did not seem quite so impressed with her ability to not kill council members. She tried to remind him that it had been his damn idea to make her attend the meetings with such short notice, but he wasn’t interested in how this was all his fault.

She was a lot more excited about the trip to Tuchanka. Wrex meant funny stories, killing things and ryncol. He was a lot more fun than dealing with stuffy politicians and disapproving Admirals all damn day. Plus, it meant she would get to see Grunt and Eve, and baby krogans, actually baby krogans. Not baby krogans that were born fully grown who tried to destroy the damn ship all the time.

_She really missed The Normandy._

“Can I buy you a drink, love?” Liam set a bottle of beer in front of her. He stood behind her chair and massaged her shoulders for a moment. “So…can you meet me at the apartment at 1900?”

“Sure. Why?” She sipped the beer.”

“You’ll see.” He leaned down to kiss her neck, and then with a wink, he was gone.

She headed back to Tiberius Towers at 1700 for a hot shower. As she stepped out of the shower wrapped in a towel, she noticed a rectangular box on the bed. She opened it to find a beautiful dark blue dress. It fit her perfectly. She walked down the stairs carefully at 1900 to find Liam waiting for her…dressed in a tux.

_Damn_.

“Where are you going? She placed her hand on the arm that he held out.

They ended up at one of the fanciest restaurants on the Citadel. He took her to the Casino afterwards. But mostly, Shepard just wanted to get back to the damn apartment and get him the hell out of that suit. She started formulating her plan for how to get there.

“Where are we going next?” She asked when they were back in the cab.

“It’s a surprise.”

_It was clearly time to take matters into her own hands._

“A surprise, eh?” Shepard’s hand started to glow when she reached out to rest it on Liam’s thigh.

“What _are_ you doing?” He glanced down at her hand before focusing on flying.

“It’s a surprise,” she smiled.

Her fingers slowly inched up his leg. She moved in a little until she knew he _had_ to be feeling her biotics. Her knuckles brushed lightly against his inner thigh. He shifted a little as her hand drifted higher. She ran her fingers up to the zipper on his dress pants to slide it down. Her hand moved inside, still covered in the tell-tale blue cloud.

“Is it tingly, Liam?” She smirked up at him.

“We should head back to the apartment.” Liam’s voice broke a little.

“Good idea,” she chuckled before withdrawing her hand and zipping his pants back up.

“How the hell am I supposed to walk like this?” He adjusted himself a little before getting out of the car once they’d landed.

“Carefully?” She winked at him.

His eyes narrowed but he didn’t say anything while they headed back up to her apartment. Once inside, he pulled her tightly against him. “I had plans for this evening, Shepard.”

“Plans?” She stepped back out of his arms. “You could always go back out. I’m more interested in just staying here and relaxing.”

Her hands reached up to push the straps of her gown down her arms. The dress slid off her body to pool at her feet. She kicked the dress up at him. Then walked dressed only in heels up the stairs towards the hot tub. She didn’t make it to the hot tub. 

Liam raced up the stairs after her. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up against the wall. He’d shed his pants and shoes. She hooked her legs around him. He used one arm to keep her on the wall and his other hand slid up her thigh.

Shepard decided to test something that she’d always wanted to try. She used her biotics to cover both of them. It was like having a slight vibrating cloud on their skin. It sent Liam over the edge and he slammed into her. It was hard…and hot. She couldn’t maintain the biotics as she got closer to climax, it was all she could do to not fall to the floor. They ended up sliding to the floor together a moment or two later.

She rolled on her back and tried to remember how to breathe again. “So…what did have planned next?”

“Ask me when I can remember my damn name, love.” He groaned.


	19. Chapter 19

Shepard hated traveling in ships that weren’t the _Normandy._

She _hated _flying on a ship that wasn’t under her command.

Tuchanka was a welcome sight when they finally got there. Ryncol would clean the cobwebs out of her mind or add some more. The Krogan had made impressive progress in rebuilding. Eve’s presence had clearly been a stabilizing influence. Shepard felt a little emotional at seeing everything that had been accomplished, Mordin would’ve been pleased.

“Shepard!” Wrex grabbed her by the hand and shook so hard she almost fell over. “Shepard. Good to see you on your feet. You didn’t look so good the last time I saw you.”

“I’ll stay on them if you stop shaking me around.” She laughed at him. “I think you met Major Coats on Earth.”

Wrex glanced around her to give Liam the once-over. “Hmm.”

“Wrex, you owe me a bottle of ryncol as I recall.” She grinned at him.

“Heh. Come on then.” He chuckled and dragged her towards one of the nearby buildings.

The evening devolved fairly rapidly into a head-butting contest that left Liam on the floor clutching his head. Shepard sipped ryncol and watched highly amused. Wrex and Grunt were going at it next.

“You know, the last time I head-butted a Krogan, I managed to stay on my feet.” She smirked down at Coats. “Then I shot the bastard.”

“And that’s why I owe you a damn drink.” Wrex filled her glass. He glanced down at Liam. “He’s a little puny, Shepard. You sure you don’t want to accept that breeding request?”

“There is not enough ryncol on Tuchanka to make me say yes to that.” Shepard waved her glass at him.

“Something you’d like to share, love?” Liam finally sat up.

“Remind me to tell you about the time that I killed a Thersher Maw on foot, with a grenade launcher.” She grinned at him.

“On foot?”

“Shepard’s half-krogan, it’s why she’s so damn stubborn.” Wrex grabbed the Major by the back of his shirt and hauled him up to his feet. “She drinks like one too.”

“Thanks, I think.” She spat ryncol everywhere when Wrex pounded her back. “Damn it, you overgrown turtle, stop doing that.”

“Ha!” He did it again just to aggravate her before wandering over to head-butt someone else.

“You have very interesting friends.” Liam sat beside her. He was still rubbing his head.

“Drink more ryncol, they seem totally normal by about the fourth glass.” Shepard raised a glass in salute before standing and heading outside.

“You ok, love?” Liam wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they looked up at the sky.

“The last time that I was here…I faced a reaper on foot. We cured the genophage. And the bravest, chattiest fucker that I’ve ever known went voluntarily to his death.” She kicked at a nearby rock. “Seashells.”

“What?” He gave her a confused look.

She just shook her head. “Nevermind.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to get the krogans what they want out of the council?” He asked the question that had been running through her mind since Hackett told her what she had to do.

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “Maybe not. I have no idea, but I’ll give it my best shot.”

“Remind me not to take up head-butting challenges.” Liam groaned.

“Want me to kiss it better?” She winked at him.

“Which head are we talking about?” He smirked at her.


	20. Chapter 20

Liam found watching Shepard _negotiate _with the Krogans fascinating. Wrex might have been right about the half-Krogan thing. She handled them much better than she did the Asari or Salarian politicians. 

The downside was the ryncol. It was why she was on the floor next to the bed in their temporary quarters. She claimed the room spun less on the floor. It was more like she fell out of the damn bed twice and decided to stay on the third try.

“You ok down there, love?” He rolled to the edge of the bed and peered down at her.

“Damned over-grown turtle spiked the ryncol.” She clutched her head in her hands.

“Or you just drank too damn much of it.” He reached down to brush his knuckle against her cheek.

“It’s a matter of prif…prin..fucking honor,” she insisted. “I’m shooting the fucker in the quad the next time that I see him.”

“Why?”

“Don’t remember,” she muttered. “I’ll think of something.

“Come back to bed, love.” He scooted back on the bed as she climbed in beside him.

“’s nice.” She mumbled before shifting around until her back was pressed against his chest.

“What’s nice?”

“Not being alone.” She spoke so softly that he almost missed it. He thought she’d fallen asleep when she spoke again. “Lonely being a _big goddamn hero_. People want you to do shit for them all the damn time. Everyone wants something. They never…they don’t…it’s fucking lonely.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. Shepard carried a heavy weight on her shoulders; she still did, even with the war over. A quiet snore told him that he didn’t need to respond. She’d finally drifted off to sleep. He listened to her breathing and began to come up with a plan. While she slept, hs sent a series of messages, the last one to Hackett.

_From: Major Coats_

_To: Admiral Hackett_

_Subj: Favor._

_Remember that favor you owe me?_

_I’m calling it in._

_Coats_

The two weeks went back quickly and thankfully successfully for Shepard. She wasn’t looking forward to the long jump to Rannoch. _Goddamn transports._ Liam walked with her towards the nearby shuttle. It looked familiar. The pilot looked familiar as well.

“Cortez?” She gave him a quick hug before sitting in the co-pilot seat. “The hell?”

“I heard that you needed a ride to Rannoch.” He grinned at her. “I’m getting in some flight hours to make sure that I don’t lose my license while you _charm _the politicians.”

“But why…” She trailed off when he activated the virtual windows and she caught sight of the _Normandy_ in the distance. “Oh thank the travel gods.”

“Thank your boyfriend.” Cortez leaned over to whisper. “He called in a favor apparently.”

“Crafty bastard.” Shepard glanced over her shoulder at Liam.

“Hot bastard.” Cortez winked at the Major.

“I know, so very, very hot.”

“I’m having an annoying sense of déjà vu.” Liam gave both of them at tired look.

Shepard wandered around _her ship_ for almost an hour. She realized that she hadn’t seen Coats in a while so she decided to hunt for him. She found him in the Xo’s quarters. He was reclining back on the bed with his arms behind his head. 

She lay next to him with her hand resting in his arms. “Thanks for this. I was not looking forward to the fucking cruiser.”

He moved his other arm to hold his hand out to her. She noticed a ring on the tip of his finger. The metal was a greyish blue that looked strangely familiar. There was a stone in the center that looked like dark blue melted glass. It sparkled in the light almost like one of the older versions of a galaxy map.

“A _friend_ paid a visit to Alchera.” Liam spoke casually while spinning the ring on his finger. “The metal is from the body of the _Normandy SR-1_. The stone is made out of glass that they found in the wreckage and part of the galaxy map as well.”

She stared at the ring and for once in her life couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. 

_What was…was he…shit._

“Will you marry me, love?” He dropped the ring into the palm of her hand.

_He was._

_Say something idiot._

Her brain had clearly decided to go on vacation so she just nodded and continued to stare at the ring.

“Is that a yes?” The smug bastard was laughing at her.

She elbowed him in the side. “Are you sure?”

“I didn’t buy the damn ring at a jeweller; I had to call in a lot of favors. I’m very sure, love. Very.” He turned on his side and brushed his thumb along her jaw. “Put the ring on your finger.”

“Cocky bastard.” She rolled her eyes at him but complied. The ring was beautiful. It was like having the _Normandy _with her all the time.

“I’m still waiting for the damn yes.”

“Oh yea.” She grinned at him. “Sure, why not. I’m getting used to having you around.”

“Used to?”

Shepard smirked at him before pushing him on his back and moving to straddle him. She rested her hand on his chest, watching the ring for a moment. “Thank you…for doing all of this for me. And for finding me in the rubble, I made Admiral Hackett tell me about it the other day. You didn’t just find me. You kept me alive.”

Liam shrugged.

She shifted a little so she could lean down to kiss him. “Yes, I will marry you.”


	21. Chapter 21

Rannoch should have been the easiest stop on her _diplomatic_ journey. It turned out to be the most frustrating. With the Krogan, Shepard had no doubts about what they wanted and where she stood with them. The Admirals were just as annoying as devious as they’d been during the war. And it didn’t help that Xen still wanted to dissect every damn geth that she got her hands on. It would be a miracle if they didn’t end up in the middle of another fucking war.

By the end of the week, Shepard felt like her brain had leaked out her ear. She sat with Garrus and Tali on the cliff that they’d stood on back during the war. They toasted the memory of Legion and talked about the couples plans for the future. Tali still wanted to build the house that her father had promised her. And Shepard got the feeling that Garrus was trying to work up the courage to _propose_.

The Admirals were going to _love_ that.

Shepard moved over to the edge of the cliff to toss part of her drink over. _An offering_. The gods of Rannoch apparently didn’t approve of alcohol. As she turned around to head back, the ground fell out from under her feet.

_Shit._

Her hands scrambled to find a hold on the side of the cliff but it crumbled under the full weight of her body. She started to fall again, bouncing against the rock. She remembered Samara using her biotics to slow a fall. It was her only chance. It worked…sort of.

Her leg broke on impact. But without her biotics, she would’ve been dead. The drop from the top had been too far to make it survivable. She lay on the ground and stared up at the sky. _Fucking quarians._ She should’ve stayed on Tuchanka. The only danger she faced there was drinking too damn much.

“Shepard!” Garrus raced up with Tali following close behind. “Is your leg supposed to bend that way?”

“No.” She tried very hard _not_ to look at her leg and not to scream when he lifted her up. “I’m going to need a lot of ryncol.”

“I’ll tell Wrex to send you some.” Garrus raced her towards the _Normandy_ Med Bay.

“What the hell happened?” Liam rushed into the room after the doctors had already reset her leg.

“Bastards didn’t like my offering.” She muttered. “I might be a little high from the pain meds.”

“Offering?” He frowned down at her.

“’s a tradition. You pour out some liquor for your fallen comrades.” She yawned before continuing. “The cliff doesn’t like turian wine. Also, I can fly.”

“Fly?”

“Are you just going to repeat what I say? It’s annoying.” She glared at him and then yawned again. “Can we go home now?”

Liam leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. “Yes, I think we can probably go home now. If only because you are in no shape to deal with politician.”

“I could shoot them.” She thought that seemed like an excellent plan. “Shoot the fuckers right in the head.”

A few days later, Shepard was relaxing in the chair on her balcony. Her leg was about sixty percent better. Hackett had not been amused by her cutting the visit to Rannoch short. But honestly, how the hell was she supposed to deal with anything when she was high on pain meds? He wasn’t particularly happy when she suggested that he go jump off a cliff to see how it felt. Liam had taken away her comm privileges until the meds wore off.

_Bastard._

She was bored. He’d gone back to work and left her to limp around by herself. _Fucker. _She grabbed her omni-tool. She was bored…and in pain.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: London_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Coats_

_13:12 S: Come home and entertain me, damn it._

_13:17 C: Entertain you? How?_

_13:18 S: I don’t know. But I imagine it will involve nudity._

_13:19 C: Yours or mine?_

_13:21 S: Yours, I’m not supposed to exert myself for another day or two._

_13:22 C: I’m supposed to be teaching a class on sniping._

_13:23 S: And? I’m talking about your weapon._

_13:25 C: Shepard._

_13:26 S: Yes?_

_13:28 C: I’ll be home soon, love. I promise._

_13:29 S: Define soon._

_13:31 C: The same time that I came home yesterday._

_13:33 S: Bastard._

_13:34 C: I love you too._

_13:35 User has disconnected._

Shepard tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair and considered her options. Four hours was a long time to be bored. She needed minions.

_From: Shepard_

_To: Cortez_

_Subj: Come pick me up._

_Damn it._

_Shepard_

_From: Cortez_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: No._

_I’m under strict orders to not let you go anywhere._

_Steve_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Cortez_

_Subj: re: No._

_Come pick me up or I’ll tell Vega what really happened to his favorite t-shirt._

_Shepard_

_From: Cortez_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: No._

_I’ll be there in ten minutes._

_Steve_

Blackmail was always so useful. Cortez had _borrowed_ Vega’s shirt back on the _Normandy_ and never given it back. She didn’t know why the idiot didn’t just tell James that he had a crush on him. From the way Vega watched over the pilot, she hadn’t a feeling that the crush just might be mutual. _Men_. They always had to make things more complicated.

Cortez arrived fifteen minutes later. She’d managed to pull on clean fatigues. He helped her limp down to the shuttle. He tried to talk her out of it. He failed. _ When would they learn not to argue with her? _Shepard didn’t believe in taking no for an answer. 

“He’s going to kill me.” Cortez muttered to her. He had an arm around her waist and was helping her climb the hill up to where the sniper class was training.

“Nah, he’s going to kill me.” Shepard grinned at him. “And Steve? I’d never rat you out to Vega. Even if I think you’d make a cute couple.”

“Shut up.” He glared at her.

“Fine, fine.” She shrugged. “But…you’re going to need a date for the wedding, whenever it happens.”

“Wedding?”

She winked at him and showed off her ring. “You can help me plan it.”

“Congrats, Shepard.” He gave her a hug. “I’ll think about the date thing.”

“Good.” She glanced up to find that they’d reached a vantage point where she could watch _Major Coats_ training his recruits. “There’s nothing quite like a man in uniform.”

They watched for about an hour undetected before she told Cortez to help her back to the shuttle. She didn’t really want to interrupt Liam. She just wanted to do something other than sit on the fucking balcony all day. They were a few yards from the shuttle when a familiar voice called out to them.

_Busted._

“Give us a minute, will you?” Liam’s arm replaced Cortez’s around her waist.

“Hi.” She grinned at him after Cortez wandered away.

“_Hi? _You’re supposed to be resting that leg, not going for a damn hike.” He helped her into one of the seats on the shuttle then squatted down in front of her.

“My leg needed a little exercise.” Shepard mussed up his hair with her hand, ignoring his annoyed huff. 

“A little exercise?” He shook his head with a laugh. He cupped her face with his hands and placed a kiss on her lips. “You could come join the class.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t want to show you up in front of the recruits.” She winked at him. “That fragile ego needs protecting.”

“Mine or yours?” He chuckled.

  
  



	22. Chapter 22

_From: Shepard_

_To: Cortez_

_Subj: Bored_

_Come pick me up._

_Shepard_

_From: Cortez_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Bored_

_Some of us aren’t on medical leave._

_So no._

_Steve_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Vega_

_Subj: Bored_

_Come pick me up._

_Shepard_

_From: Vega_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Bored_

_No can do. Sorry, Lola._

_Steve won’t fly us over._

_James_

“Bastards,” she muttered.

Shepard decided to take matters into her own hands. She’d been on the balcony early; it was starting to turn cold outside. She grabbed one of Liam’s jackets and her cane before limping out the door. It took her over an hour to limp the ten minute walk to her office. She had to stop and sit down at least three times. 

_This had been a bad fucking idea._

“Major?” Traynor looked up at her in surprise when she stepped into the office.

“I’m not here.” Shepard grimaced as her leg throbbed. She dragged herself into _her_ office and collapsed into her chair.

It took her less than an hour to work through the reports on her desk and the message in her inbox. Her leg hurt like a motherfucker, not that she’d admit to it. She wanted to head back home, but she didn’t think she’d make it past the fucking office door. She leaned forward until her head rested on the desk and willed the damn pain to go away. It didn’t. It just got worse.

_Fucking thing. Fucking quarian cliff on fucking Rannoch. _

“I can hear your disapproval from here.” Shepard muttered into her desk when she heard the door open. “Tell Traynor that she’s fired.”

“Come on, love. I’ll take you home.” Liam sounded like he was near the door.

She lifted her head up. “I’m busy.”

“Let’s go, Shepard.”

_Shit._

With another muttered curse, Shepard tried to stand up while her leg almost gave out. She grabbed her cane for support and gritted through the pain. No way was she going to admit how much it hurt. Her determination carried her all the way outside the building. And then reality kicked her in the ass. Her foot slipped on the first step and her leg decided that it had enough for one day. Liam caught her just before she went headfirst down the flight of stairs.

“Enough walking for one day, love?” He lifted her up into his arms and carried her over to where Cortez was waiting by the Kodiak.

“You will pay dearly for this.” She glared at Cortez. “_Dearly.”_

Steve winked at her before sliding into his seat. “Be nice or I want sneak you tequila later.”

“I take it back. You are a prince among men.” Shepard muttered while trying to ignore the consistent pain. “On the whole, this was not my best plan ever.”

“Can I get that in writing?” Liam chuckled.

“Bastard.” She scowled at him. “I’d kick you but my leg hurts too much.”

She reclined on one of the balcony chairs an hour later enjoying the pain-free haze that the meds had given her. Plotting while in a slight drug induced stupor was probably a terrible idea, but she did it anyway. She had no intention of being cooped up for the next few weeks per _doctor’s_ orders. She felt fine…now…a little loopy, but fine.

“No, whatever you’re thinking, no.” Liam stepped through to the balcony and immediately frowned at the look on her face.

“No idea what you’re going on about.” Shepard closed her eyes and ignored him.

“If you promise to take it easy, I’ll find a way to get you out of the apartment at least a couple times a week.” The cocky bastard was a charming fucker.

She cracked one eyelid open to look up at him. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“I have a lot of time on my hands and I’m bored. Does that seem like a good combination to you?” She closed her eyes again. “Go away, I’m enjoying the drugs.”

“Shepard?”

She pretended to sleep until he headed back inside the apartment.

_Take it easy?_

_Not fucking likely. _

She had plans. And if her blackmail worked right, she’d have those minions that she needed. She waited until Liam was busy making dinner to pull up her omni-tool.

_From: Shepard_

_To: Cortez_

_Subj: Tomorrow, 1100._

_Meet me at my apartment._

_Tell no one._

_Do I need to mention the shirt again?_

_Shepard_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Vega_

_Subj: Tomorrow, 1100._

_Meet me at my apartment._

_Tell no one._

_If you’re tempted to say no, just remember that I heard what you said on Earth when we thought Steve had died when the shuttle crashed._

_Shepard_

“What are you doing?” Liam stepped back on to the balcony with two bowls in his hands.

“Not exerting myself.” She took one of the bowls from him. “Smells good.”

“If I asked you nicely, would you please not go through with whatever it is you’re planning?” He smirked at her.

“Quiet, I’m trying to eat.” She waved a spoon at him. “Sexy bastard. If I buy you an apron, will you cook naked?”

“No.”

“Bastard.” She thought about it for a moment. “What if it’s a really _manly_ apron?”

“No.”

“What if I promise to do very, very naughty things under the apron while you cook?” Shepard grinned at him.

“Maybe.”


	23. Chapter 23

Vega and Cortez showed up almost at exactly 1100 the following morning. Neither of them looked particular amused with her. And they looked…awkward. It was _hilarious._

“So what’s the plan Lola?” Vega sat on the arm of her couch.

“Traynor’s already working on it. I need you two for transportation and entertainment.” Shepard headed for the door, Vega caught up with her to offer his arm for support.

“I’m guessing that Vega’s the entertainment.” Cortez followed them.

“Well, look at him.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Not at his ass, Steve.”

_“Lola.” _

"Look, I'm not good at subtle hints. Why don't you two just admit that you find each other mutually adorable and that you secretly stare at each other's asses when you think no one's watching? It would make my sad little heart happy again if you'd run off into the sunset holding hands." Shepard glanced between the two men with a grin. "What? I'm serious, I want you both at my wedding, and I refuse to look at your sad, lonely faces when I know the truth. So...go forth and engage in...activities, but not right now, you're my minions at the moment."

“SHEPARD.” Steve tried desperately to shut her up while looking anywhere but at Vega.

“At least…think about it?” She touched a finger to Vega’s hand and then to Cortez’s hand. “Please? Do _not_ make me resort to locking you in a room together, because I would vid that shit like no tomorrow.”

“We’ll think about it.” Vega winked at Cortez.

“He’s thinking about you naked.” Shepard informed Cortez who turned several shades of red. “Ok, Operation plan a surprise date for Liam commences now.”

“Where are we going?” Steve asked when they were situated in the Kodiak.

“Traynor should have forwarded the coordinates.” Shepard stretched out across the back seats in the shuttle. “We’re going to Seaford. It’s a seaside town. I’ve _borrowed_ a little condo near the cliffs.”

“Borrowed?”

“I called in a favor.” Shepard had no intention of revealing that it belonged to Zaeed or why she knew about it.

It took thirty minutes to get there. And Shepard spent most of the rest of the morning and afternoon directing her minions. They left her around 1700. She had no idea how long it would take Liam to follow her trail of _breadcrumbs_. She lowered herself down on one of the couches and eventually fell asleep. When she woke up, her head was no longer on the pillow but resting in Liam’s lap.

“Hi.”

“Did you get lost, love?” He glanced around the room.

“Nope. I knew exactly where I was going.” Shepard yawned.

“Did you? And how’s that? How exactly did you know about this little town?” Liam helped her sit up.

“Traynor.” She stood up and limped towards back door. 

Hackett had given both of them a four day weekend. Shepard had insisted on it, and he hadn’t argued. They had four days to relax by the sea. She eased into one of the recliners set outside in the garden that had a great view of the beach below. Liam joined her a moment later. He’d grabbed two of the beers from the fridge.

“Does Massani know that you’re borrowing his summer home?” He handed her one of the bottles.

_Shit._

“Yes, he does.” She took a long swig from the bottle. “You have two choices. Enjoy a four day weekend, or you can interrogate me some more about Massani.”

“Difficult decision.”

“I bought you an apron. I plan on getting you naked and making you cook for me.” She turned to set sidewise in the chair to face him.

“Do I get a say in the matter, love?” He tapped the neck of his bottle against hers.

“No.” She smirked at him. “So what’s it going to be Major?”

“Will you be naked as well?” He asked before taking another drink.

“I will be very busy under the apron.” Shepard set her beer down on the ground. “Think of it as a challenge, you lose if you burn dinner, you have to do whatever I want for the next four days.”

“And if I don’t burn dinner?” He set his bottle beside hers and reached down to pull his shirt off.

“I’ll be waiting naked in bed,” she shrugged.

“That’s not a lot of incentive, love. You’ll be doing that anyway.” He smirked at her. “If I don’t burn it, you have to stop ignoring the doctor’s orders.”

_Cocky bastard._

“Deal.”

Shepard stood in the kitchen ten minutes later staring at a very naked Liam. He had the long black apron that she’d bought wrapped around him. It was fucking sexy as hell. She tossed a pillow on the floor, with her leg the way it was, using a little cushion was best. She found a comfortable position on it before ducking underneath the front of the apron. She fully intended on winning their little bet. So she teased him for a few minutes before taking him all the way into her mouth.

_And damned if the fucker didn’t burn dinner._


	24. Chapter 24

“Nice ass.” Shepard leaned against the bathroom door to watch Liam in the shower.

“You could join me, love.” He smirked at her over his shoulder before turning to let the water hit his back.

“I could.” She let her eyes wander over his body. “But the view is so very fucking nice.”

“Enjoying it, are you?” He grabbed the bar of soap and twisted enough that she got a great view of him soaping up his chest. “Are you sure that you don’t want to get in with me?”

“It’s very, very tempting.”

“How about now, love?” His hand slid down his abdomen and then lower to stroke himself. “Are you more tempted now?”

Shepard pulled her t-shirt over her head and moved towards the shower. “Smug bastard.”

“Isn’t that why you love me?” He smirked at her. 

He stepped back to rinse the soap from his body and held out his hand to help her into the stall. His arm wrapped around her waist and spun her under the warm water. He took the soap and began washing her. His fingers were moving between her thighs when first her omni-tool and then his beeped with the familiar sound of an emergency.

_Shit._

Rinsing off quickly, Shepard reached out of the shower to grab two towels. She tossed one to Liam and dried off before wrapping the towel around herself. Her omni-tool was sitting on the coffee table where she left it.

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Major Shepard_

_Subj: Terrorists._

_A bomb just exploded on the Citadel. A second one went off on Rannoch. A third and fourth was found on Palaven and Thessia._

_We have a problem._

_A Cerberus problem._

_I know that you’re on vacation. But no one knows Cerberus like you do. Get your ass back to London now, both of you._

_Hackett_

“So much for a long weekend,” Shepard groaned.

“I know a short cut back to London.” Liam threw his towel aside. He reached a hand out to grab the corner of her towel and pull it away from her body. “It’ll give us at least thirty minutes.”

“Thirty?”

“I figure, ten minutes to pack, think I can have you screaming my name in five? I bet you forget yours in fifteen, love.” He winked at her.

“Promises, promises.” She sauntered away from him towards the bedroom.

He grabbed her before she got two steps and swung her up into his arms. “Make that fourteen minutes.”

Shepard was still grinning when they arrived back at Alliance HQ in London thirty minutes later. Cortez and Vega looked…amusingly awkward when she stepped into her building. “That is so the walk of shame. You two…”

“Not another word, Lola, not another damn word.” Vega gave her a warning look.

“Fine, fine.” She grabbed the report that Traynor was holding out and went into her office. “Hey boys, Admiral Hackett should be here tomorrow with the _Normandy. _ It looks like we’re not on desk duty anymore.”

“We’ll start making preparations.” Cortez grabbed Vega by the arm and dragged him out of the room.

“So what’s the plan?” Liam took a seat in _her _desk chair.

“That’s my chair.” She frowned down at him and then she laughed when he yanked her down into his lap. “I have no idea. I was fairly certain that we’d ended Cerberus. I think it’s time to call a few old friends. It looks like we’re going to be busy…again. Think they can find someone else to teach?”

“Busy?” Liam slid a hand along her thigh. “How busy?”

“Down boy.” She swatted his hand away.

“Just one thing, love.”

“Yes?”

“Leave Massani out this time, I don’t think either of us could take the strain.” He whispered against her ear.

_Smug fucking bastard._


	25. Chapter 25

It took them a few days to get everything situated and get headed out trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Shepard didn’t know why Hackett had bothered to assign her to fucking desk duty. This was the third time that she was back in command of the _Normandy_. She headed up to the first deck to check her messages. She hoped that someone had an idea of where and why the bombings had happened.

_Or at least, where to start to figure that out._

_From: Massani_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: Cerberus_

_Heard the bastards are trying to make a comeback._

_It’s not like you to leave me out of the goddamn party._

_Is your bodyguard jealous?_

_Zaeed_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Massani_

_Subj: re: Cerberus_

_I’d like to avoid shooting you in the crotch if possible._

_And we both know that you don’t know how to keep your fucking hands to yourself._

_Heard anything interesting about Cerberus?_

_Shepard_

_From: Massani_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Cerberus_

_What’s it worth to you?_

_Zaeed_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Massani_

_Subj: re: Cerberus_

_What’s your life worth to you?_

_Shepard_

_From: Massani_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Cerberus_

_Now, now._

_Don’t get all testy on me, sweetheart._

_I’ll be in touch when I have something._

_Zaeed_

Shepard frowned at her omni-tool. It was _not_ encouraging that Massani would be in touch. The man was a great source of information but he could be a royal pain in the ass when he wanted to. She was _still_ frowning when Liam stepped into _their_ quarters on the _Normandy_ a few minutes later.

“Trouble, love?” Liam sat next to her on the couch and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“Not _exactly._” She didn’t think mentioning Massani would be very helpful. “Have we reached Omega yet?”

“Joker said it’ll be another hour.” Liam’s hand rested on her knee. “Why start there?”

“Aria hates Cerberus as much as I do. And she owes me a favor. Plus, Miranda Lawson’s meeting us there.” Shepard leaned back against him. “She knows more about the splinter cells that Cerberus had before the war than anyone else.”

“So why were you frowning?” Liam asked.

“_Massani._”

“And what did the bastard want this time?” He ran his thumb along her jaw.

“He might have a lead on Cerberus,” she shrugged.

“And that made you frown why?”

“Massani was just being himself.” She needed to get the conversation away from Zaeed.

“That is _not_ really an answer, love.” Liam chuckled.

“It is if you know the bastard.” She sifted to the side so her fingers could drift up his leg towards the top button of his trousers.

“Looking for something?” He smirked at her.

“Not looking, already found it.” She unzipped his pants.

“Maybe you should get a closer look.” He winked before resting his hand on the back of her head.

“You are such a cocky bastard.” Shepard rolled her eyes at him.

“But I’m _your_ cocky bastard.” His hand moved from her head down her spine into back of her cargo pants.


	26. Chapter 26

Shepard sat hunched over a chair in the tattoo shop on Omega. She was getting a piece done on her back. Vega watched the batarian tattoo artist working on her. They were supposed to get information from Aria, which had been the plan. She’d sent Liara to pick it up instead and dragged James with her to get the tattoo. 

Liara had come back empty-handed. Aria’s information turned out to be not much more than they already had. Miranda was going to meet them on the ship. Liara did mention that Wrex had found something. Shepard messaged back and forth with him while the tattoo was being completed.

“He’s going to notice the giant bandage, Lola.” Vega helped her get her hoodie back on once they were finished hours later.

“Thank you, Lieutenant Obvious. I know he’s going to notice it. I wanted it to be a surprise, not something he never sees.” She elbowed him in the side. “More importantly, have you asked Cortez on that date yet?”

He glared at her.

“I’ll take that as a no. Have you kissed yet? Because if you haven’t, I’m going back to my idea of locking the two of you in a room,” Shepard remarked. They stepped into the airlock to the _Normandy_ and waited for the other side to open. “Is he your first crush?”

“Lola.” Vega appeared to be turning bright red.

“Sorry. It’s just not often that I can give you as much grief as you usually give me.” Shepard laughed then headed towards her quarters. 

Liam walked into the elevator with her. He’d been waiting on the CIC for her. Once the doors were closed, he lifted her up against the wall. It would’ve been sexy if it hadn’t been for the new tattoo. He frowned when she cried out as her back hit the elevator.

“Are you hurt, love?” He set her back down on her feet. “

“My back’s just a little tender.” She waited until they were out of the elevator to start to remove her hoodie. “If you’re careful with it, you can pull the bandage off to see my new ink.”

“A tattoo?” He walked around her to cautiously peel back the white gauze to check it out. “So that’s what took so long. We were beginning to think you’d gotten lost. Is that?”

She craned her head around to glance at him. “It’s Big Ben, well, before they fixed the damage.”

“It’s a beautiful piece of art. But why?” He leaned in for a better look. “Is that a muzzle flash in the clock tower?”

“It’s more about who was in Big Ben than the actual tower,” she shrugged. She felt a little oddly self-conscious about it.

Liam’s hands gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “It’s for me? You could’ve just gone for property of.”

“Bastard.” She punched him in the arm. “We’re heading for Tuchanka, again. Wrex might have found some information from the bombings. Try not to head-butt anyone this time.”

“Try not to drink yourself into a coma.” He eased her back around so that he could replace the bandages.

“Wrex promised ryncol.” She laughed at Liam when he groaned dramatically. “I told him that I couldn’t drink on the job.”

“And he said?”

“Since when,” she admitted. “He might have a point.”


	27. Chapter 27

Shepard knew something was…off…the minute that they arrived on Tuchanka. She’d been suspicious when every time that she tried to access the extranet for information on the bombings, nothing came up. But Wrex seemed to have a much larger number of visitors that she recognized than normal. And the _supposed_ damage on Tuchanka didn’t really look like it came from an explosion.

It wasn’t until Liara and Tali dragged her aside to start shoving her into a white gown that she realized the fuckers had all conned her.

_Damn bombings._

Hackett waited for her outside the pavilion that had been erected for what she realized was her wedding. He was in his dress blues. “Major.”

“Admiral.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Bombings? Really?”

“I thought perhaps you’d allow me the honor of walking you down the aisle.” He held his arm out for her. “I think Anderson would’ve preferred to be here if he could’ve.”

“I will find a way to pay _all_ of you _lying bastards_ back for this.” She muttered under her breath before taking his arm.

“Consider this payment of a debt owed to you by everyone who survived the war.” He led her inside with a smile.

“You know what would’ve been nice? More credits. Not a surprise wedding.” She glared at him.

Shepard didn’t really hear what he said in response. She took a moment to take in the decorations inside the pavilion. The colors were blue and silver. The room was filled with silver stars instead of flowers. She didn’t really get a look at all the friends who’d come to the _surprise wedding._ But she spotted a few familiar faces here and there in the blur of the crowd.

Her gaze shifted towards the end of the aisle and the smug bastard in dress blues waiting for her beside Eve. His eyes twinkled with amusement as she walked towards him. He ignored the Admiral and Eve to pull her into a kiss. 

“_Behave._” Hackett murmured before stepping back over to his seat.

“Not a fucking chance.” Shepard shook her head at Liam. “You cocky bastard.”

“Marry me?” He winked at her.

_They said their ‘I do’s.’_

And he took his sweet damn time with the second kiss. He didn’t step back until Hackett coughed…loudly.

“I just didn’t want to give you a chance to change your mind, love.” Liam smirked at her and led her back down the aisle.

“Smug bastard.” She dragged him down into another kiss. “You’re all mine now, fucker.”


End file.
